Balancing Act
by TheyAlwaysUseADagger
Summary: Marinette has successfully handed off the mantel of being Ladybug. Fed up with how he is being treated, Adrien tosses away the chance to be a hero. As luck would have it, the bluenette is given the opportunity to play hero again, if it is indeed good luck to be wearing black instead of red. Master Fu is in quite a tizzy as he tries to right the imbalances made. Rated T for violence
1. Dance to Forget

**Chapter One - Dance to Forget**

 **Hey guys! It's your friendly neighborhood Dagger, bringing you another Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction. Yes, yes, I can hear you all saying: _But Dagger, you have two other stories on here! What about updating one of them?_ And to that I say: _But now I'll have_ three _stories to update._**

 **Actually, I got this idea while considering different ideas for why different people could have gotten different Miraculous, and the chaos that could have ensued because of that. I couldn't figure out any way I could justify any of it though, and as I continued to speculate with the idea while continuing to show the series to my younger siblings, we reached the Origins episode. The fact that Marinette had tried to give up the Miraculous to Alya was something that I had completely forgotten, which of course gave me just the chance I was looking for. It was the perfect board to spring this idea off of, and I'm going to take that opportunity and run with it. I am so excited to experiment with this!**

 **Anyways, that's enough out of me. I just have one more thing to say, and then we can move past my rambling and actually get to the story (or you can skip this and just read, if you really want to and are that impatient, or already have read one of my stories and know how I operate). I write in the first person, which doesn't seem super common on here. I will make sure to show whose perspective we are seeing everything from each chapter, as well as try to show which identity they are in. I promise it isn't very confusing, and I will try to limit the amount of perspective changes I have, although no guarantees.**

* * *

 _Marinette's Point of View_

* * *

I jump backwards as I let out a yelp, leaping about on my left foot in pain as I hold my right foot in my hands. This is the fourth time I have stubbed my stupid big toe while trying to learn how to dance, and that's just counting that toe on my right foot. After a moment, I gingerly set my foot down, and groan as I admit defeat by flopping down on my bed. I shove my face into my pillow and begin to blindly reach around on my bed for my phone, which is still playing the music that I was attempting to dance to previously. Eventually, after a few minutes of struggling to try and locate it without looking, I manage to grab my phone and find the pause button.

Now that that's settled, I let out a dejected sigh as I roll over onto my back. Staring up at the ceiling is boring, but it gives me the chance to reflect on why I was even trying to dance. Supposedly if I spend my time attempting to learn a new skill, it will help distract me from my negative emotions, or so the internet tells me. However, doing so now does not seem to be helping at all. No, instead I just seem to be winding up hurt over and over, again and again. I'm just far too clumsy for this particular skill.

To be fair, I could have tried to learn something other than dancing, but it was the only thing I could think of trying that I could learn for free through the internet. And do without having to get my parents involved. But now that I'm looking back on things, maybe it would just be better for me to bury myself in my designing. On top of that, I could try to study more and help out around the bakery to fill up my time. That would certainly help to boost my practically non-existent baking skills, and might be easier while not being suspicious to my parents. After all, it's not like I've never shown interest before in learning how to make the more complicated, delicious treats we serve.

Oh, who am I kidding? I cover my face in my hands, sure that my face must be red. I've already begun to try all of those things to no avail. From the way it was looking now, I would just have to face a depressing thought: I'm feeling guilty.

No, scratch that. Guilty is putting it far too mildly for how I'm feeling right now. I'm ashamed at my behavior, and the fact that I backed down from a challenge. I'm regretful that out of all of the different opportunities that I have had in my life, I turned down the one that would have changed my life for the better, along with everyone else's. I can't believe how cowardly my behavior was and how much of a failure I was. I feel like such a disgrace, as if I have done something incredibly selfish, even though my motives were the exact opposite at that time.

"It's for the best." I whisper as I move my hands away, staring up at my ceiling once again. But is it really? I was so sure of that statement at the time, but now I don't believe it at all. Yet now it's far too late to try and change anything, even if I definitely wanted to.

Stoneheart was a disaster. Embarrassment, even hotter than before, floods over me as I turn to lay on my side. I don't want to remember just how much of a catastrophe things were. How much of a catastrophe _I_ was. However, I need to walk myself through all of this again. I couldn't even remember to do something as simple as capturing and de-evilising a single little, stupid butterfly. I let the akuma get away, and because of me, Paris - all of the people I love - were unnecessarily out in danger a second time. I failed to do my duty as Ladybug, a duty that I had only just received that day. How it's possible for me to have messed something up that quickly, I have no idea, but I managed to do it. A typical, clumsy Marinette move.

That made what should have been painfully obvious from the start clear to me. I was not fit to have citizens' lives resting on my shoulders. I could not risk the possibility that I would fail them again.

And I had known someone who I was certain would not make the same mistake as me. They were an obvious choice, so obvious that I can't believe Tikki or whoever decides who gets a Miraculous didn't choose them themselves. The new girl that Chloe forced me to sit by, Alya. I could see that she was already ready to protect those around her, even those she barely knew. She was so confident and self-assured, filled with a fire that I could never hope to match. That was the type of passion that a hero of Paris would need, not the fear that caused me to shake at the very idea of transforming again.

It'd been simple to slip the box into her bag as we walked into school together. Simple to make sure there was a typed note along with it to explain everything that I could think of that she would need to know. Simple to make sure she left to go see Stoneheart get beaten with her bag. Simple to watch from the sidelines as the Ladybug found her gift while searching for her phone and flew into action like the natural I knew she would be. It was so simple to not do anything and just give up. Even then it had felt wrong, but I'd been able to ignore it. I was not cut out to be a hero.

Even now the thoughts makes me sick. The fact that I even considered giving up the Ladybug Miraculous, topped with the fact that I actually did, should prove to me that I have no business trying to be a heroine. So why do I get sick to the stomach with guilt every day as I think about what might have been? Why do I dream every night about being Ladybug, with that silky kitty that I barely even knew cracking horrible puns as we leap across the rooftops of Paris, fighting some sort of akuma as a team?

Perhaps I'm just drawn to the idea of saving people. Maybe I just have a selfish, hero complex. Or, maybe it was the fact that sometimes at school, I could swear I felt Tikki's eyes on me from within Alya's bag, burning the word 'guilty' into my back.

It's not like I even have a legitimate reason to regret my decision either. It's not like Alya is failing at her job. Quite the opposite actually. Alya is doing splendidly as Ladybug, with Chat Noir seeming to almost be struggling in his attempts to keep up. She steals the show and is constantly in the spotlight, treating the black cat superhero as more of a sidekick than a partner. At times I pity him, perhaps even regretting what could have been with our own partnership, but he doesn't seem to mind. Although he does seem different from whenever we were partners. He no longer spouts ridiculous puns while battling, and it seems like he treats saving the city as more of a chore than a special duty bestowed only to those who deserved it, excluding the mistake of giving it to me. I swear there are times that if you pay close attention, Chat actually looks unhappy as he continues to save our city again and again. But that's just silly. I'm just searching for some reason that will let me feel justified in my wishes to do it all again and keep the Ladybug Miraculous. To rip the earrings right off Alya's ears. I just need to accept that what's done is done. Besides, I obviously didn't and still don't deserve them, but Alya has proven that she does time and time again. The whole thing is as simple as that, and I just need to move on with my life before everyone moves on without me.

"Marinette, are you coming?" My mother's voice draws me out of my thoughts as I push myself into a sitting position with a loud groan. I have to resist calling down to her with some sort of sour response. Why can't I beat myself up for being selfish in peace? "You'll be late for school if you don't hurry!"

"Oh, crap. School!" I cry, leaping off the bed and onto my feet. As I lunge forward to grab my shoes, I trip over the air and fall flat on my face. Giving a moan of pain and rubbing my now sore face with one, I try to shove one of my shoes on with the other. Giving up and using two hands again, I shout down to my mother, "I'm coming down now, mama!"

With the first shoe only halfway in, I move onto the other and begin to hop on one foot towards my stairs. Once that one is jammed on, I begin to descend the stairs, doing my best to fix the first one while not tripping in the process. There are a few close calls, but I finally find myself firmly planted at the bottom of the stairs and manage to finish fixing the original one. Who knew shoes could be so much work?

"Come on, Marinette!" My father calls this time, and I turn the corner to make my way into the actual bakery portion of our home.

"Sorry, papa." I apologize the moment I see him, grabbing my two bags from on the counter and sliding the one onto my back and the other around my shoulder. Then I get on tiptoes and kiss his cheek, offering him a small smile in return for his big one. When I turn around, my mom is there, holding a tray of croissants that are probably to be sold. "Love you, mama!" I snag one off the tray and follow it with a kiss on her cheek before making my way for the door. "Bye!"

I delicately place the croissant in my mouth in order to have access to both of my hands, allowing myself to push the door open and stumble out in a hurry. From behind me, my mother calls, "Have a great day at school!"

My father follows that with, "We love you! Goodbye!"

I give a backhanded wave before letting the door slam shut behind me. Once that's taken care of, I remove the croissant - which was thankfully not _too_ hot - from my mouth, take a small bite, and then run in the direction of my school. At this rate, I was going to be late, and without a real friend group to call my own, there would no one to attempt to cover for me. If Alya weren't so tired and closed off to my attempts to try and get any closer to her, I would rely on her, especially because she seems like she would be an epic friend to have. Sadly, she seems quite intent on keeping me - and everyone else - at arms length. That effectively rules her out. Adrien doesn't even know I exist - or if he does, then we're not anywhere near as close as I would like to be - so I doubt I can count on him, even with how nice he is. This train continues around our class till I'm sure that I have ruled out every single one of my options.

Stopping at a red light at a crosswalk, I take another bite of croissant as a thought suddenly strikes me. Nino! We've been in the same class for ages, and he's always been so nice. In fact, I feel really bad for not thinking of him earlier, since I consider him to be my closest friend. That, of course, doesn't really mean all that much since we aren't even that close - we barely qualify as friends - and I doubt he thought anything nearly as high of me. It also doesn't help that he is pretty much my only friend, so he would have to be the closest for me, while he seems to have plenty of friends. Despite all of this, I'm almost positive that Nino will at least notice I'm missing and assume I'm following my usual trend of accidentally getting to school late. I'll just have to hope he knows of a way to cover for me.

The light turns green, and I begin to scramble on my way again, taking a bit of croissant as I do. This rush causes me to smash right into someone, and as I wave my hands to catch my balance, my croissant goes flying into the road. That, however, is the least of my concern, as I can feel myself losing my balance and falling backwards.

A hand grabs onto mine, stopping my fall and pulling me to my feet. I look up, a little hurt by the sudden jerk, but relieved nonetheless. It's even more nice - although a bit more embarrassing - to see that I've bumped into a friend: Théo Barbot. He has started stopping by the bakery more and more often, and I think my mother adores him. Sometimes I serve him if I'm helping out, and he's always been quite polite and attentive as we've chatted. He makes for pleasant conversation and a distraction, especially seeing as I have no on else to talk to.

Théo raises his eyebrow at me, and his brown eyes sparkle with amusement. "You seem to be in quite the rush today, Marinette." He comments, chuckling under his breath as I carefully pull my hand out of his and brush myself off.

"Yes, sorry about that." I say, sure that my cheeks are bright red. "I'm late to school again."

"Again?" He shakes his head, seeming even more amused, which in turn embarrasses me even more. "I'm sorry I've delayed you further. Here," He pulls a butterscotch lollipop from his pocket, holding it out towards me, "since I caused you to lose what I assume was your breakfast and have delayed you, have a lollipop."

I giggle and shake my head, but take it all the same. "Thanks, Theo!" After carefully unwrapping it, I pop it inside my mouth, and offer him a thumbs up.

He moves to pass me and keep going, but then stops again. "Oh, I almost forgot! Are you still coming after school today to model for that sculpture, and am I still good to meet you at the school to walk you there? I wouldn't want you having to walk around in a shadier part of town just to get to my studio."

"That'd be awesome if you met up with me to make sure I arrive safely. And you bet I'll be there." I say with a nod. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't make good on my word?"

"Ha, that's what I like about you, Marinette. You're so honest and kind." My face, which was finally starting to go back to normal, gets hot all over again. "I'll let you get on your way then! Sorry for making you later. See you after school!"

"See you!" I say, waving before rushing off once more.

I suppose at this point rushing is somewhat pointless, since I definitely won't be making it to class on time. Not that I blame Theo. It was my fault I ran into him, and besides, he was super kind and cheered me up a bit. However, that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to be late. However, the faster I get to school, the less of a punishment I'll receive. Determined to at least make it there on the earlier side of being late, I push myself harder. It helps that I can actually see my destination.

I reach the steps and rush up them to the front door, taking two at a time. Panting, I pause for a moment to catch my breath, and then run up the stairs. My class is thankfully right there, so I won't be too long. Maybe I can even manage to sneak inside and not call attention to myself. I open the door, confident that I can sneak in without disrupting the lesson, only to stumble.

Sadly, because I trip upon entering and let out a squeak, the lesson stops as all eyes are on me. I manage to land on my knees - although painful - and quickly get back to my feet, horribly embarrassed. My clumsiness seems to be getting worse and worse, if that's even possible.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, so nice of you to join us." Miss Bustier says, looking torn between being disappointed, resigned to this being the norm, or amused.

I shift uncomfortably under everyone's gaze, and mumble, "I'm very sorry for that." Hopefully I sound apologetic, if I was intelligible at all.

She sighs. "Try to make it on time next time, Marinette. Or, if you're really intent on making this a habit, at least try to come in without drawing attention to yourself. Get to your seat please, and try not to cause any disruptions."

"Yes, Miss Bustier." I say, bobbing my head. I don't even care that I just got scolded in front of our entire class. She doesn't intend on punishing me, and I will definitely take that good luck.

However, Miss Bustier turns back to the class and opens her mouth to continue talking, my good luck runs south as someone speaks up. "Miss Bustier!"

Our teacher lets out a sigh, one that I wish I could mimic. "Yes, Chloe?"

Chloe. The blonde that always seems to have it in for me. I turn to look at her from where I stand beside my seat as she stands up, leaning forward over her desk as she does. From beside her, her crony Sabrina looks my way and smirks.

Can't I just have one, tiny bit of my day where I have a bit of good luck?

"Why is Marinette allowed to come into class late with no punishment?" My blonde enemy phrases and sounds innocent, but the look in her eyes is quite devious. "I mean, you punish the rest of us when we show up late. Why should Marinette receive any favoritism and be treated differently for the exact same thing?" Favoritism? Oh please. If anyone here gets favoritism, it's her, with her constant usage of her daddy to get things that she wants.

"Miss Bourgeois, I am the teacher here, not you." Miss Bustier responds, and I think she looks quite exhausted at having to deal with this crap from the mayor's daughter. "Whether or not I punish Marinette is a decision for me to make. Understand?"

"Of course, of course." She responds, nodding her head, and I shut my eyes, waiting to hear what she's going to follow that statement with. "I'll make sure to let my daddy know that you aren't doing your job properly."

I almost expected her to play a card like that, so I suppose it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes and wait for the inevitable consequence that Chloe has pushed on me. A part of me wonders if Chloe would still do this if Alya hadn't fought to get my seat - which then became our seats - back from here, but the answer to that is most definitely yes. She desperately wants to see me crash and burn, and will stop at nothing to achieve that vision. What she doesn't realize is that she doesn't have to do a lot to see that happen, if anything. I seem to be doing that to myself on my own.

"Marinette, I expect you to be here after school for detention." Our teacher finally states, but I freeze, recalling my promise to Theo.

"Wait, Miss Bustier, please," I say, beginning to panic, "I promised to help someone out after school today."

She pauses for a moment as if to consider it, and then nods. "I have to be somewhere after school as well. How about you serve that detention after school tomorrow?"

I let out a sigh of relief, bobbing my head. "That sounds great. Thank you." Of course, it would be even better if I had _no_ detention, but I doubt Chloe would allow that to happen.

As I sit down, our wonderful teacher turns her attention to Chloe, and asks with a raised eyebrow, "Was that punishment enough for you, Miss Bourgeois?"

"I guess." Chloe says after a moment, seeming to realize that that is the best she will get, and then sits down.

I almost start laughing at the pout Chloe has on her face as she crosses her arms to glare at me, but I don't. That would probably get me in trouble at this point in the game. Instead, I look to glance at my seatmate, hoping she will share my amusement at Chloe's reaction to not getting exactly what she wanted or frustration at Chloe getting me in trouble. Instead, I see that Alya has her head down on the desk, and unless I'm mistaken, she's sleeping. As I nudge her to wake her up, I feel eyes boring into me from her bag once again. However, as painful as it is, I ignore them. I already thought about how much I wish I still had the earrings and the fact that I don't deserve them today. I don't need a certain blue-eyed kwami to remind me of all of that.

"Huh? What did I miss?" Alya mumbles, sitting up and adjusting her glasses. She seems more and more exhausted recently, I wish I could help out somehow.

"Shh." I whisper. "Not much. Just me arriving late and Chloe landing me a detention for tomorrow. Are you okay? You really need to be getting more sleep. This is the fifth time this week that I've woken you up, and it's only Tuesday."

Alya shakes her head stubbornly as she stands up, tense and closed off. "I don't."

I don't try to argue my point any further. If she won't hear it, she won't hear it. Besides, she knows what she's doing. That's why I picked her as Ladybug over me. Alya always has it together. I never do. She's a great Ladybug, and I know she can handle that as well as a secret identity. I just need to let her manage herself. I wouldn't want someone to keep getting involved in _my_ business while trying to tell me how to live _my_ life. I'm sure Alya is no different, and this is no way to get closer to making friends with her either.

* * *

As I gather up all my stuff for the day after our final class, I have to stifle a yawn. Besides my arrival at school, everything was quite boring, and there's loads of homework with no one to complain about it too. Thankfully, not all of it is due tomorrow, but most of it is, and the stuff that isn't is generally a larger project. That's always a nuisance. However, I always manage to do it, so this time will be no different.

I can't even imagine trying to be Ladybug on top of all of my schoolwork. So not having to balance that on top of my academic success is a blessing, right? That's what my brain tries to say anyways, but I don't think it's doing very much to convince me of that.

Standing up, I make my way out, trying not to pay attention to the fact that everyone else has at least one other person to talk to. If I don't acknowledge the fact, then it can't bother me. That's how those sort of things always work, right? I'm not sure, but I'm hoping that's the case. Then again, I was also hoping maybe I could convince Alya to walk out of school with me and maybe even stop by my place today, but that went _terribly_ , so that does not bode well for my hope of not letting having no one affect me.

As I make my way down the stairs, I focus on my feet to avoid seeing everyone else. However, this ends up going badly for me, because it's _too_ effective. Once again, I find myself ramming right into someone and flying backwards. Thankfully, two hands grab me and pull me back up.

"Yo, Marinette," Nino says, looking me over in concern, "you okay?"

I open my mouth to respond, only to see who is holding onto my other hand. Concerned green eyes meet mine, and I have to keep from fainting or squealing. It's Adrien Agreste. I suppose that shouldn't be surprising. He and Nino are best buds, so obviously they would be walking together. But that means that Adrien is actually holding my hand. I glance at it out of the corner of my eye to confirm it, and yes, it's true. Adrien Agreste is holding my hand. I can't wait to tell...nobody. I have nobody to tell. How disappointing is that?

I carefully pull my hands away. "Ya! Ya, I am. Um, thanks for me catching! Er, um, thanks for catching me!"

"No problem." Adrien smiles at me, and I swear I would be okay if I died right here and right now.

"Hey, it doesn't look like you have anyone to hang with." Nino's observation isn't malicious, so even though I cringe upon hearing it pointed out verbally, I realize that it's to follow it up with something else. "Adrien and I are going to go get ice cream and work on some homework at my place. Wanna join us? Well, that is if my dude is okay with it."

He glances at Adrien, who nods enthusiastically. "Of course you can come along! Unless you don't want to."

I begin to nod my head, a huge smile taking my face, before it falls as I remember that I already have plans. "I can't. I promised to help someone out with this sculpture, otherwise I would definitely want to."

Nino smiles. "Hey, no problem, dude. That's cool. Maybe some other time?"

"Definitely." I say, smiling a little, but I have a sinking feeling that I won't get that opportunity offered to me a second time.

"So who are you going to be helping out, Marinette?" Adrien asks, and I look at him.

"Oh, his name is Theo. He's an aspiring artist who sometimes stops by my parents' bakery, and he loves my mom. No, wait!" My cheeks go bright red in embarrassment. "No, I meant my mom loves him. Oh gosh." I place my face in my hands as Nino and Adrien chuckle.

Before they can say anything else, someone interrupts. "Marinette?" Nino and Adrien step aside, and we all look as Theo strolls up, lollipop in hand.

"Hi, Theo." I say with a small wave. "Um, these are," I want to say friends, but I don't know if they agree with that, so I decide to go with something a bit more neutral, "classmates, Nino and Adrien."

"Nice to meet both of you." He says with a nod, before focusing his attention on me. "Ready to go?"

I give him a thumbs up. "For sure." I step up to stand beside him, before turning back and waving to the two boys. "Bye!"

Once we've walked a ways off from the school, Theo gently elbows me - which I'm not a complete fan of, however I let it go - and asks the question I probably should've assumed was coming. "Just classmates?"

I shrug. "I mean, Nino and I have been in the same class for ages, and is one of the only people I really am friends with, so I'd probably consider him to be my closest friend from school. But that's not saying a lot, since like I said, he's my _only_ friend and doesn't consider me to be his closest."

"I'm sorry." Theo says, looking like he pities me. Then, he asks another question. "What about the other one?"

"Adrien?" I ask, and when he nods, I let out a dreamy sigh that was supposed to just be inward.

"I suppose that answers all of my questions there." He says with a chuckle, but if I didn't know better I would say he sounds slightly bitter.

I tilt my head in concern. "You all good, Theo?"

"Of course!" He says, waving my concerns away with his hands. "I had a great day, actually." There's something wrong with that statement, but I let it go. If Theo doesn't want to say anything, I can't and won't force him too. "So, did you get to read the new post on the Ladyblog today?" It's not the most flawless or smooth way to change the subject, but I'll roll with it.

"You read that?" I ask as we cross a rather empty street. He nods, and I laugh. "One of my classmates runs it. She's pretty proud of it." It must be hard to keep it normal and not give away who Ladybug is when the author _is_ Ladybug, but I keep that tidbit to myself. She's done a splendid job of running that and doing her school work on top of being Ladybug. I envy that. "Anyways, no, I haven't read her newest post on there. What's it about?"

"Chat Noir. It didn't have a lot of information on him. If anything, it seemed more like a rant about how he does nothing for the team and that he needed to step up his game." He looks disturbed as he says it, as if the article really bothered him.

I stop in my tracks, upset. "Really?" I bite my lip to keep myself from completely raging on the subject, especially because I'm not sure what Alya's thoughts on the subject are. After all, I'm not her or Ladybug. Surely she has a good reason? Yet, at the same time, I can't help but pity Chat. Does he really deserve that? The Ladyblog obviously holds a lot of power over its readers. I hope that that doesn't take any support away from our cat hero clad in black. I suppose a part of me is incredibly protective of him, because he was supposed to be my partner when I was Ladybug. He did fine then. I mean, after all, it was my fault we failed. "But Chat Noir works so hard!"

Theo nods in agreement. "Yes, but apparently your friend who writes it disagrees." He pauses, tilting his head. "What are your thoughts on him?"

"Well, I'm sure you've already realized that I like him as a hero. I feel like he doesn't get enough credit or support." I pause, wondering if I'm going too far. "I mean, I don't know him personally, but I think he's a pretty cool cat. His puns are horrendous though."

We both laugh at that and continue on our way. After that it's just conversation exchanged back and forth, although Theo keeps seeming bothered by different, small things. I'm not sure what it's about, so I decide to chalk it off as me mistaking what he actually is feeling. I just need to get ready to pose and smile for this sculpture, or whatever he's going to need me to do. Then I can head home, do homework, and get ready for detention tomorrow. Not that the thought excites me, but if I focus on something, it seems to take my mind off of the negative emotions swirling in my stomach.

* * *

 _Adrien's Point of View_

* * *

I stare at my ice cream cone, trying so hard to muster up the interest to eat it. However, my appetite is completely gone. Why did I have to go and think about how I failed my original Ladybug again? No matter what I do, that guilt hangs on me everywhere, and seems intent to destroy things even more so than my cataclysm. The stuff posted on the Ladyblog today didn't help either. It was completely trashing Chat Noir, and all of the comments were so negative.

It left me with the same question that keeps getting burned into my mind: Why do I keep dawning my mask and saving this city if no one appreciates it?

Thoughts constantly swirl in my head, asking those stupid, silly, "what if" questions. What if my original Ladybug stayed? What if I had tried harder to help her? What if I hadn't been so distracted by my freedom to see her struggle? What if, what if, what if. However, it's too late to change any of that. Instead, I have to deal with seeing another person as Ladybug. It would be worse if she wore the same costume as the first Ladybug.

"Yo, dude, are you even listening?" I flinch as a hand waves in front of my face, narrowly avoiding my ice cream as it does. That, however, does get my attention, and I focus in on the guy across the table from me. Nino adjusts his hat with the hand he just waved, frowning in concern.

"I'm sorry, Nino." I say guiltily, scratching the back of my neck. "What did you say?"

"I was saying that you've seemed really out of it recently." He's obviously concerned, but takes a moment to have another bit of his ice cream before continuing. So he can't be _too_ concerned. "You're always exhausted, and you seem super sad and distracted. Is your dad overworking you or something?"

Thank goodness that's all he thinks it is. "Yup." It's lying, but I need to take that excuse since he handed it to me. Besides, it's not a _complete_ lie. My dad does overwork me, that just currently isn't the biggest issue. "That and school have been a little overwhelming at the moment. But I'm fine."

Nino raises his eyebrows. "Okay, dude, if you say so." Thankfully, he drops the subject, and moves on to something else. "Oh, did you see Alya's latest post on the Ladyblog?"

I raise an eyebrow at him after taking a bite of the mint chocolate chip ice cream before me, more so that it doesn't go to waste than anything else. "No. What's it about?"

"Chat Noir." That catches my attention, although I try to outwardly stay rather neutral on the subject. "She was giving him a really tough time. All of this stuff about him not working hard enough, causing more trouble instead of helping, and other things."

"She must really have something against him." I respond, disappointed to hear even more trash about my superhero persona.

"It gets worse." He informs me, and I almost wish I could tell him to just leave it and not tell me more. "At least two thirds of the comments were in total agreement about the whole thing. Sometimes I wonder if that girl has too much power with what she says."

I lean back a little to look at the sky. "You'd think people would be a bit more thankful to have someone spend their time saving their city, you know?"

"Definitely. All this trash about him is not cool. I hope the poor guy doesn't take it to heart." Too bad he already has, Nino, but thanks for the sentiment.

"Hey, but on the topic of heroes, what do you think of Ladybug?" I ask, hoping that maybe someone will share some sort of dissatisfaction with her.

"I mean, she seems really intense at times, but I appreciate what she does for Paris." Nino says with a shrug. I knew it was too much to hope that he would dislike her. "She seems like she's really dedicated to her job, which she does really well. I mean, you have to admit that when you compare her and Chat Noir, it does seem like she does more work."

"But doesn't it seem like she treats Chat Noir as more of a sidekick than a partner?" I ask, trying to do so as casually as possible.

Nino gives me an incredulous look. "Isn't he a sidekick?"

Ouch, that stings, but I don't let it show. I'm good at keeping things hidden, after all. Instead, I shrug, taking another bite of ice cream to help disguise my reaction further. "I dunno. I mean, I know he and the first Ladybug weren't working together for very long, but they seemed like partners, or at least a more cohesive unit."

"Well, she gave up her position, so I'm not sure it's fair to compare them." Nino takes another bite, and then comments, "Although, I do wonder why she passed that opportunity. I know I would've been excited to save everyone."

"I wonder the same thing." If only he knew how different our line of thinking really is on this topic.

Nino frowns, taking his last bite of ice cream. "Hey, do you think Chat Noir ever considers giving up his position after all the crap he receives?"

That catches me completely off guard. "Why do you ask that?"

My best friend shrugs, looking over his ice cream cone to see if he missed any. "No reason, it was just a thought that came to mind. I mean, he gets all this crap from everyone and is super unappreciated. His partner dropped the ball. I was just thinking, 'Hey, I wonder if he ever thought he should do the same thing.'"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's thought something like that." I say after a long pause, deciding it's the best response I can give.

To be honest, I most definitely haven't thought something like that before. I mean, I've thought about how unappreciated I am as Chat, but the idea to step down like the original Ladybug has simply never crossed my mind. However, now that the seed is planted, I can't get it out of my head. The citizens of Paris seem intent on hating on me, no matter what hoops I try to fly through in order to help them and Ladybug. Speaking of Ladybug, she hates me as well. I doubt she would miss her partner if Chat disappeared off the face of the planet. The idea of doing so makes me inwardly squirm. Would I really be willing to toss away my job as a hero of Paris?

Ultimately, I mentally shut that train of thought down. This is not the train of thought I need to be having right now.

"Hey, so what do you say we head to your house now and get started on that homework?" I finally say, staring at the barely eaten ice cream in my hands.

Nino finishes eating his cone, and looks at me in horror. "You aren't going to finish that?"

"Nah, I'm not hungry." I shake my head, standing up and walking over to the trashcan. He looks even more horrified as I throw it away.

"Not cool, man." He jokes, nudging me in the arm before leading the way towards his house, all discussion of our heroes forgotten.

I, however, have not pushed those thoughts aside. They lurk in my head, echoing and repeating as my mind processes everything we discussed. There's just so much to think about. Chat stepping down? I want to say that the very idea is ridiculous, however I'm not sure I can say that it would never happen. As of right now, I'm firm in my decision to stay as Chat Noir. I am a hero. What kind of hero would I be to pass that up? What sort of person am I if I throw away the one thing that lets me feel real and free?

And yet, I don't work with this Ladybug. You can see it even as we work together. We don't mesh, and we are certainly not partners. Working with the first Ladybug felt so natural. So _right_. Yet no matter what happens, I never experience that anymore. Would it be better to relinquish my title and let someone better suited to working with this Ladybug take the role?

Or, even better, find my first Ladybug?

No, she's gone. If she wanted to be found, she would be, right? I have absolutely no idea where I would even start if I were to try and find her. After all, we kept our identities secret. She had her chance to be Ladybug, and she gave it up. Would it be fair to this new Ladybug to try and bring that one back? Is it even fair to pine for the one that abandoned Paris?

Yet no matter how hard I try to blame her for this, I can't. No matter how hard I try, I can't convince myself to let go of the girl with the bluebell eyes.

Unconsciously I grab the finger that my ring is on, running my thumb over it in contemplation as I distractedly talk with Nino, not really paying attention to the conversation. I know he doesn't deserve that, but I can't help it. Our conversation has sparked so many thoughts that I need to handle. So many doubts. Is being Chat Noir really worth it?

* * *

 _Alya's Point of View_

* * *

"Alya, won't you play with us?" Etta asks, looking up at me with her big, hazel eyes and an adorable pout.

However, I have gotten very good at not falling for those big eyes, and shake her hands off of mine. "Not right now, Etta."

I step past her before she can try to do anything else to hold me back, and make my way into my room. Then I shut the door before she or anyone else can try anything else to delay me.

From behind the door, I hear Ella whine, "You never play with us anymore! You're no fun."

I sigh, shaking my head as I drop my bag by my bed and falling onto it in exasperation. Tikki flies out of my bag, and the look on her face suggests she's about to give me some more of her advice. I have to resist groaning and covering my ears. I totally have this. The little kwami is sweet, but she always seems very insistent that she knows what's best for me and Ladybug. I have never actually told her, but I think she realizes that I trust my gut over any of her advice.

"Alya, you have time to play with them." She finally says after we look at each other for a few minutes.

I shake my head determinedly. "But I don't, Tikki. I have to do my homework now so that I'm ready for patrol later."

The red kwami sighs. "You could not do patrol today. It'd be easy enough to call Chat when it's time, tell him you guys are going to take time to rest, and then not go. Even if you don't play with your sisters, you could use the time to sleep. You're only human, no matter how hard you try to act otherwise. Marinette was right today in class when she commented on how many times she's had to wake you up. You're going to start getting into trouble if you aren't more careful."

However, I'm not going to bend. Patrolling Paris is necessary, and being a hero should be the most important thing when it comes to priorities. The first Ladybug couldn't handle the stress. I refuse to be like her. "I'll be _fine_. I can handle it and the pressure. Haven't I proven that to you?"

"Oh, Alya, is that what you think this is? I'm not asking you to prove yourself. I know that you've proven to be a good Ladybug." There's something in those words, some hidden meaning that I'm missing. What is it? "But you still need to rest. It's okay to skip a patrol in order to take care of yourself." As if sensing that this isn't working, she adds, "And even if you won't do it for your sake, Chat Noir is human as well."

"That lazy cat is probably out there fooling around as Chat. Haven't you seen how he behaves? He's always causing more messes for me to clean up, Tikki. If we stick to this strict schedule, I'm able to keep a close eye on him and stop him from fooling around and causing trouble." I huff, shaking my head. "Why is he even around? I do perfectly fine without him."

She sighs. "We've been over this. The Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous need each other, even if you don't see it. They balance each other, and they need each other to succeed."

"Well, he should still be doing a better job." I say with a disdainful sniff.

"Well, maybe he could do that if you were giving him a chance." I already have a feeling that I know where this conversation is going. "You're constantly riling up the public against him on the Ladyblog. Was the article that you posted this morning really necessary?"

"Yes! He needed to get called out for what he does. Didn't you see all of the agreement I got in the comments?" I say, folding my arms and scowling.

"But was that agreement because they feel that way, or because you planted the seeds there?" Her blue eyes meet mine, daring me to argue otherwise. "Maybe if you just helped him to feel more needed, more like a partner-"

I interrupt, not wanting to hear the rest of that thought. "And let him bungle the job? No way. Maybe if he proves himself he can be trusted to do more, but until then, I'm not trusting him with anything, Tikki. Besides, I'm the leader of the group. He's just a sidekick."

She just gives a cryptic, "Only because you've put him in that box."

I sigh, not willing to continue the topic. Instead, I reach into my bag and pull out a notebook, ready to change the topic to something that is way more important. "I was thinking about Hawkmoth today, and how we could track him."

"Alya, you can't do that on your own. You would need Chat at _least_ , and neither of you are ready." Tikki reprimands me, and my scowl falls back into place.

"But wouldn't it still be good to know who he is? Then we could get better at stopping him, and work on practicing till we _are_ good enough to defeat him. It would give us a goal!" I protest, determined to convince her that this is the right thing to do.

She shakes her head. "No, Alya, you have to wait. Patience is key here. Otherwise you will rush and not be ready, even if you think you are."

"Look, at least hear me out." I protest, seating myself more comfortably on my bed. Then I open up the red notebook I pulled out, flipping through it till I find the page where I scribbled down my thoughts that struck me during class on the subject. "See?" I point to the words. "I was thinking that, if you could just sense where Hawkmoth's miraculous is-"

"But I can't. Don't you think this situation could have been handled already if I could?" She says it in such a tired fashion.

"But can't you tell whenever a Miraculous is activated?" I ask, confused on how those could be any different.

Tikki nods, sicking down onto the bed. "Yes, but that doesn't mean we can tell where they are being activated. Otherwise we would know where Hawkmoth is and vice versa. Things would be much simpler and yet much more complicated."

"Can you at least sense where your Miraculous is?" I question, still not entirely sure how this entire thing works anyways. How did the kwamis get tied to them in the first place? How long have they been around? Have they always been used for good, besides Hawkmoth?

Tikki shakes her head. "No, which is why it important for you to always wear the earrings and always keep me with you. As I've told you before, activating the Miraculous doesn't work unless both the kwami and the Miraculous are with each other."

I lean forward with a sigh, scratching my head. "Well, then how the heck are we supposed to find Hawkmoth? Search all of Paris?" Actually, that could be a good idea. There can't be too many places that he could stake out, right?

"Leave that alone for now. We can handle that when the time comes." She says, floating by my head and patting my cheek.

"Okay, so you can't tell where the Miraculous is activated. Do you at least sense who is activating it?" I question, looking her in the eye.

She shakes her head. "No, none of us know. We find out the exact same way you do. All we sense is that it is being activated, and if it's the same person activating it as usual."

"That's what I was expecting." I say in disappointment, flopping back onto my bed. "So you don't know who Chat Noir is?"

"No, I don't." The kwami shakes her head again.

"Dang it. I was hoping I could chew him out, give him a piece of my mind." I say, smiling ever so slightly.

"And expose your identity to him as Ladybug? Really?" Tikki sounds surprised that I'd even suggest such a thing after how fiercely I've been guarding my secret.

Now it's my turn to shake my head. "No, but it is a thought." I prop myself up onto my side, looking at her again. "Why would someone ever give you up? Give this up?"

She sinks down onto the bed, frowning. "The Ladybug before you was very brave. Please don't think that she wasn't, Alya."

"Brave?" I scoff. "If she was brave, she wouldn't have given the earrings over to me."

"Bravery comes in many different forms." Tikki says with a sigh. "She was so unprepared for what was going to happen though. I...I scared her. Overwhelmed her. I rushed her and I didn't explain well enough, so she made a simple mistake and beat herself up for it. If I had done better..."

"You wish that she still had the earrings." I try not to sound betrayed as I say the words, but my heart aches. Why does this sweet kwami wish for a girl who rejected her? Who couldn't handle being Ladybug? Even if she can be rather annoying, I would never do such a thing to her. Besides, if that other Ladybug was so great and she picked for me to pick up the mantel, shouldn't I be even better?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. You're a good Ladybug." Again with the way she says it, as if there's more meaning to it. It doesn't help that it feels like she's talking down to me, as if I am a child.

"Well, I'll be better than good, Tikki." I say with finality, sitting up. "I'll be the best Ladybug you and the world have ever seen. I'll work harder than ever. I won't give you up like that other girl. I promise. I agreed to be a heroine and save Paris, and I intended to keep that agreement. I won't let anything get in the way of that."

Tikki just gives a tired response, one that is less enthusiastic than I expected. "Thank you."

"You're tired." I say, standing up. "Let me get you a cookie, so you can rest up and be ready for patrol later." I head for the door, and then glance back at where the tiny kwami lays on the bed. "Then I'll do my homework. Don't worry, I've got this completely under control."

* * *

 _Master Fu's Point of View_

* * *

I sit down, staring at the box of Miraculous beside me in contemplation. Did I make a mistake in my selection for the Ladybug miraculous? Every time I think about it, I come to the same conclusion: no, I picked correctly. The girl who got the Miraculous was supposed to get it. So why then did she turn the Ladybug miraculous away? Why did she place it in the hands of someone who was not worthy? No matter how many times I try to grapple with the subject, I can't figure out what went wrong. It wasn't something on my end, but there is no way to contact Tikki and discuss the subject with her. That would make things much, much simpler.

"Master," Wayzz draws my gaze away from the box, "are you alright?"

"Yes, Wayzz, I'm fine." I say with a nod, looking back at the box. "I'm just thinking about the same thing as always."

"You couldn't have possibly known that the girl would reject the Miraculous." My green kwami says, floating to the top of the box and seating himself there.

I nod with a sigh. "I know that. It's just the fact that it is so rare. Practically unheard of with the Ladybug, considering the luck that comes with it."

He nods. "I know. But it is a lot for someone so young to handle."

"I know she was right one. The one who has it currently, she is not the one who should have it. It is not right. Everything has become imbalanced because of it, and I do not know how to right the scales." I sink down in the chair, wishing that I had more answers and less questions. Now two Miraculous are in the hands of people who do not deserve them, and I'm not sure what is the best solution.

"I sense that your concern extends past the fact that we now have lost control of two Miraculous." Wayzz says, reading me in that uncanny way that he always does. He seems to know me better than I know myself.

"You know me too well, old friend." I say with a weak chuckle. "Yes, I'm concerned for the Black Cat. He is not with his correct partner. If you watch them fight, you can feel how wrong it is. I worry that he will reject the Miraculous as well, unless something is done to prevent it."

"Like what?" He asks, eyes wide.

I sigh, placing my head in my hand. "That is my biggest problem, Wayzz. I do not know what to do to prevent losing another Miraculous. I'm afraid to give any more out, and there is no way for me to intervene with the Ladybug. After all, we have no idea who wields it, and so we have no way to return Tikki to her proper wielder."

Again, my friend seems taken by surprise. "You would give the Ladybug back to Marinette Dupain-Cheng, even after she rejected it before?"

"Yes, Wayzz, I would. I need to watch her further, but from what I have seen, she regrets her decision. I know that she is meant to be a Miraculous wielder, and I do not think that she would reject one again, especially the Ladybug." I say firmly.

He frowns. "Would you give her another besides the Ladybug?"

I shake my head. "Only if it were part of a plan to get her to be Ladybug again. That is the role she is meant to be. The one we have now, she is no good. You and I have both seen that." I sigh again, rubbing my temple as I do. "Perhaps, if we watch her behavior, we can see if she truly is ready. I would be willing to send the Bee out. Pollen is one that is rarely rejected, and I think that she could help our Ladybug to grow and grow quickly while coming up with ways to get this new Ladybug to give up her spots. While this new one might be hero material, she is not a Ladybug. She needs something else, although I can't say what. I have had no chance to observe her and decide, seeing as Tikki does not seem to have any influence over her character. She would need someone who could handle a girl like her, a spitfire."

"Like Pollen?" Wayzz suggests.

I frown, considering it. "No, Pollen would probably be too much. They would butt heads, and the situation would be no better than the one we have with Tikki. No, Pollen is for quick changes such as the case of our real Ladybug, but this new Ladybug needs a slower change. Perhaps, if things align, she could someday have Trixx to help her."

This seems to dissatisfy my turtle friend. "Trixx? Really?"

I chuckle. "I know you disapprove of the tricky Fox and their ways, but Trixx is a valuable asset. She is good for helping with confidence and urging for patience. I know she is very easy to get along with."

"That doesn't mean her Miraculous is always accepted. We have seen it rejected a fair amount of times." The kwami comments.

"It was just a suggestion, Wayzz. It would not even be considered till we fix our problem at hand." I look down at my own Miraculous, fiddling with it.

"Is something else bothering you, Master?" Wayzz asks, moving to sit on my knee and look up at me.

"I think the time is coming where I will be stepping down from my position." I say carefully.

Apparently this is not what Wayzz wants to hear. "Master, don't even say that. Is this really the time to even be considering such a thing? I mean, with so many Miraculous in the wrong hands, what would we do if the Turtle was rejected?"

"It hasn't been rejected yet." I point out.

"That's besides the point. How can we trust someone so young and inexperience to handle the difficult decisions they would have to make as the Guardian at this time, especially with the chaos surrounding the Miraculous?" I will admit, he brings up good points, but he acts as if I have not considered any of these. Surely he has more faith in me than this?

I just sigh. "They would have you, wouldn't they? You could guide them. And I don't see why I could not guide them, at least while I was able to. However, I'm getting old, and I can't help in the fight against Hawkmoth."

The kwami shakes his head, a fierce expression on his face. "That simply isn't true. You are barely over one hundred. Why, we've had a six hundred year old-"

"Wayzz, this is as much my decision as it is yours, if not more." i say with finality. "Besides, I would not do it without a second thought. It would be a very careful decision, one I would discuss with you and make sure was the right one. Don't you trust me?"

He hesitates, before taking a deep breath and nodding. "Yes, I do. I am just worried for our future, especially with the current chaos. I am concerned that switching now would not be wise."

"It will not be a main priority." I assure. "However, if the time comes, we must be ready. I will do my best to sort the current issue before handing off the mantel though. It would be rude to leave my replacement with such a large mess to clean, especially since I would be leaving it in experience hands. Now, let us veer back on track. What can we do to help our Black Cat?"

* * *

 **Oh my gosh, that was intense to write! I've been working on this for at least two weeks on and off, and it's by far the longest chapter of a story that I have ever written on here. However, I am incredibly proud of it. I would like to strive to have all of my chapters for this story be this long, so I would not expect them to have short time gaps between them. I do have stuff planned out for the direction of this story, but I have not written any further ahead yet. All I know are that there are several things I intend to include as it continues.  
**

 **Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter and story concept though! What do you guys think so far? I apologize for any OCness, but somethings do have to change and somethings should be expected to change. However, I am trying to write them as realistically as possible based on my thoughts on how they would react if this happened. What do you think of Marinette and Theo interacting? What about Adrien's thoughts? What do you think of Alya's thoughts and actions? How about Master Fu's discussion with Adrien? What akuma do you think will be appearing first? Any akumas that you are particularly excited to see? Should I only include akumas that appear in the show, at least for now, or should others make an appearance as well? Are there any characters you would like me to explore more in this story that don't get explored as much in the show? Hopefully the amount of character changes wasn't jarring. I have a feeling that most chapters will have a few, so don't be alarmed.**

 **Thanks for reading! If you have time, it'd be awesome if you favorited, followed, and/or reviewed to show your support. However, even if you don't, thank you for taking the time to read through my story! I've really wanted to write a story where Marinette has another miraculous, and since it gave me an excuse to switch more than one miraculous, I figured "why the heck not?" Hopefully I'm doing it justice so far. If you have any thoughts on something I could do better to make this story better, let me know! c; I'd love tips or suggestions on something I could improve, and even though I cannot guarantee that I will include them, I always at least take them into consideration.**

 **Until next time!**

 **~ Dagger**


	2. Imitation is Flattery

**Chapter Two - Imitation is Flattery**

 **Hello guys! I'm back with another chapter for you guys. Thank you for the support you guys have already been giving me! Hopefully this chapter won't disappoint. After all, it's time for us to have our first akuma strike, don't you think?**

* * *

 _Théo's Point of View_

* * *

I step back to examine the sculpture, combing over it with my eyes for any mistakes that I might have made. However, I don't see any. Not that I expected any, seeing as I'm the one sculpting. The fact that I was sculpting with Marinette modeling for me only added to my concentration. I smile, satisfied, and take a step back.

"You can drop the pose now, Marinette." I say, and I can hear her give a sigh of relief.

"Is it done?" She comes up beside me, glancing at me and then at the sculpture to see what has been done.

"For now." I respond, looking down at her as she looks at my masterpiece. "I'll still have to comb it for mistakes and some other things, but all of that would bore you. However, you are all done, since I won't need you posing anymore."

She smiles. "Thank goodness!"

We both laugh at that, and then I have a thought for before she leaves. "Wait! While you're here, want to take a picture?"

This catches her in the middle of a turn as she goes to grab her stuff, so she pauses. She shrugs, not seeming to see any reason not to. Hopefully she wasn't searching for one. "I don't see why not."

"Awesome!" I grin. "Wait here for a second." I move around the sculpted statue and get to one of my many tables at the studio. On it sits my black polaroid camera. "Here it is!"

I make my way back to her, and she spots the camera in my hand. "Oh, cool! I didn't know anyone even _had_ cameras like that anymore."

I grin a little wider at the comment. "Well, I figured that if we were going to take a picture, why not have it be a bit more physical? Despite the risks, it feels like it means a lot more."

She nods. "I get that." Then she smiles a bit wider, making me slightly nervous. This girl is like a walking work of art. "So, where do you want me to stand?"

I position her once again, although this time it's more just telling her where to stand. Then I come and stand beside her, throwing an arm around her as we both say, "Cheese!"

She slips away and goes over to grab her stuff before glancing in my direction again. "How did it turn out?"

"I don't know yet. I have to wait a tiny bit for it develop." I respond. "Are you heading home now?"

"Yup!" She nods. "I have a lot of homework to do, and I think I can do the walk home myself this time." She gives me a thumbs up and a smile, stopping me before I can even ask to take her. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself. I wouldn't want to bother you anyways, since it sounds like you have a lot of work to do on that statue." She turns back to her stuff, and once she has everything situated so that she's carrying it, makes her way for the door. "See ya, Théo!"

I wave to her even though she can't see it and shout as the door closes, "See ya, Marinette!" However, then a thought comes to mind. "Perhaps sooner than you think..."

Stuffing our photo together into my pocket, I make my way to the door and follow after her. I stay behind her, doing my best to blend into some of the few faces of the crowd. She's not looking backwards though, so that makes up for my lack of hiding. Even though she said she could make it home on her own, I don't trust it. Not in this neighborhood, because while akumas are lacking here, actual crime can at times run rampant. That's the problem with Chat Noir and Ladybug. They don't do anything about actual criminals, just the akuma victims. And while helping the akuma victims is good, shouldn't they care about the other things happening as well? Paris is far from perfect when it comes to crime.

I realize that Marinette has disappeared, and wish that I could slap myself. I let myself lose focus and now I can't be sure that she's made it home safely! Drawing a mental map in my mind, I draw out the route she's most likely taking, and then set a course on that. However, I don't get too far before I hear voices in the alley. That is _never_ good. I push myself up again the wall, and peer around the corner to see Marinette cornered by a guy who looks like he's just asking for trouble. While I can't see Marinette from this position, I can see the guy who is pretty much attacking her. He has a smirk on his face, looking quite pleased at the scared and seemingly frightened Marinette looking for a way to escape.

"Just hand over your bag, girl, and we won't have any problems." He instructs, lowering his arms to be hovering over her shoulders and on either side of her head in order to box her in even more.

This is it. This is my chance! If I leap in to rescue Marinette now, she'll see me as a hero. A real hero! I'll be even higher ranked than Chat Noir, who has never lifted a claw to purposefully save her. She'll take about me in awe. I can finally tell her how I feel. It's perfect! However, I have to psyche myself up first. If I'm going to fight this red haired mugger, one I feel like I've seen before hanging in the alleys and waiting for prey, I have to be ready to do so.

"I don't have any money though." Whimpers Marinette, pushing herself against the wall even further and looking around, probably trying to find an escape. She doesn't see me though, which I suppose is good. It needs to be a surprise.

"What a shame." His smirk falls, eyes narrowing dangerously, before it returns. "Well then, I suppose you could appease me another way."

"And how do I do that?" She asks, sounding quite desperate and hopeless. However, I'm still not ready to leap to action yet. I don't have a plan yet!

The man leans closer. "With your phone and a kiss."

Marinette freezes, and then I watch her open her mouth and scream the word, "Help!" However, she only gets the first two syllables out before a hand covers her mouth and angry eyes glare down at her, muffling the rest of the word.

There's menace in the man's voice as he says, "Now now, that's not how we play." I wish I could shake myself by the collar. Now is the time to help! "I gave you very fair instructions. Because you rejected them though, well, the price will just have to go up."

Marinette shakes her head furiously, but her mouth is still covered. She can't make any attempt to get help. Now is the time!

However, before I can leap in ready to defend her, another person drops down into the alley. "Now that's not very nice, is it? Is it _paw_ sible that you could treat a _purr_ incess with a bit more respect?"

I stop short, frozen as I stare at the blonde hero who seems to be having what boils down to a staring match with the mugger, who has backed away from Marinette. No, this can't be happening. He's swooping in to save the day. He's taking my chance to impress Marinette! I want to scream in rage, glaring at the masked black cat as he steps closer.

"Cha-Chat Noir, let's not be hasty now." The mugger says, looking around nervously for some sign of escape. However, there isn't any when it comes to a superhero. He is hopelessly outmatched, and I feel my blood boil hotter at the idea of Chat Noir taking this chance away to save Marinette from distress away from me. I could've been her hero! Her knight in shining armor! "I-I wasn't _really_ go-going to do anything."

"You've got to be _kitt_ _ing_ me." He says, rolling his eyes, and then punches the man in the face, causing him to slump to the ground. The hero turns back to Marinette, who has stayed frozen in the alley as she clutches her purse close to her chest. "Sorry for that, _Purr_ incess. It appears that some people just can't be civilized anymore. What a _cat_ astrophe."

"Thank you for saving me." The bluenette responds. "I was just walking home and he came out of nowhere to pull me into the alley. It was probably my fault for not paying more attention and being more careful."

"This is certainly not your fault. Some people are just nasty." Chat says with a shake of his hand before offering his hand to her. "Now, we can't have you wandering the streets alone. Not after a scare like that, at least. Allow me to escort you home."

She laughs and takes his gloved hand, and then he lifts both of them up together with his baton. Moving to hold her bridal style, he begins to carry her over the rooftops and out of sight. He didn't even clean up his mess with the mugger! I stare at the man, who is still laying on the ground, and growl.

"That was supposed to be my save!" I mutter. "I was supposed to rescue her and impress her. Not him!"

Hands curling in rage, I tug my photo with her out of my pocket to examine it. This event is just the tip of the iceberg today. So many people have things they don't deserve, and that I do. I got fired from my job as a cashier when the slacker who worked at the same time as me got to stay on, even though half the time he skips work. My art that I worked for months on didn't win a competition, and instead a poorly made piece that I could have done better in two seconds got the prize. Chat Noir rescued Marinette and is adored by Marinette instead of me. Ladybug and Chat Noir don't even deserve their powers since they only use them to fight akumas! I could live any one of their lives better than them!

My eyes widen in a surprise as I spot a purple butterfly fly towards me, and before I can do anything, it lands on my photo. _Hello, Copycat. You're right when you say that you could live anybody's life better than they already are. And now, you can become them to do just that. All you have to do in return is get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous._

I smirk widely, looking up at the sky. I already know exactly who I will become first. "Sounds _purr_ fect, Hawk Moth."

* * *

 _Marinette's Point of View_

* * *

I sit down in my desk chair, contemplating the events of the day. To be honest, they were all pretty good, except for the part with the mugger. But even then, Chat saved me, and he thankfully stepped in before anything could happen. I wish more people saw that helpful side of him. He was a really good partner, and my chest aches as I wonder if maybe I could have somehow helped him by staying. Would he still be getting this reaction if it weren't for who Ladybug is? I try to tell myself that it would happen no matter what, but my mind still can't help but wonder about how things could have gone. All the what ifs. It's ridiculous, of course. I've been over this a thousand times. I didn't deserve a Miraculous. That's why I gave it up. So why does it plague me so much?

Well, at least Chat is still okay. I focus on that. While he didn't seem to be the same as whenever we were fighting crime together, he did crack some puns. More puns than I have even heard him make in his battles since the Miraculous transferred. That's got to be a good sign, right? He sounded like he had things all put together and like he was happy, which is good. Not only did I get to talk to Chat, but Adrien actually invited me to hang out with him! Even if it was really Nino extending the invitation and Adrien just happening to be there to hang out with his best friend, I decide to just count it as Adrien asking anyways. I mean, that's practically the same thing, right? I squeal inwardly, spinning around in the chair. It's definitely a step in the right direction, even if I had to say no and will probably never get that invitation again.

Smiling blissfully and ignoring the fact that I have no one to tell any of this to, I grab my backpack with full intentions to start on my homework. That is, till I hear the sound of tapping. Taken by surprise, I make my way up to my trapdoor and climb out to see who could possibly be up here wanting my attention. What I see surprises me.

Chat Noir stands in front of me, grinning. "Hello, _Purr_ incess. _Chat_ got your tongue? It's okay to be speechless. I am the _cat's meow_ after all."

I wince inwardly upon hearing all the puns. While I could appreciate before that even though they were a nuisance, they at least meant he was feeling better, I also was not having my ears assaulted with so many at once. What has him so eager to use all of these? Not only that, but why is he here again? He dropped me off a little while ago. I have no clue as to why he would be back so soon.

"Um, hello, Chat Noir." I say, raising my eyebrows. "What are you doing back so soon?"

"I just thought you might want to have a _chat_." He looks quite pleased with himself, and again I stifle my groan. "A- _cat_ -tually," His puns keep getting worse and worse. I mean honestly, what is he thinking? At least the ones he usually makes are more bearable than that, "I was hoping to to thank you for defending me."

I raise my eyebrows. "Defending you? When did I do that?" I remember doing so in my conversation with Théo, but Chat wasn't around then. He wouldn't have heard it, and since no one was trying to say anything about him while he was rescuing me, I don't know when he could have heard anything.

"Well, you didn't exactly do it while I was in super hero form." He says sheepishly, and I freeze, staring at the blonde hero and trying to understand what he just said in my mind as I ignore his green eyes boring into me. It's not possible, is it? They look nothing alike. From my experience with Tikki, I didn't change that much appearance wise, if at all. Could the Black Cat Miraculous do so differently? "I wanted to thank you, seeing as you're the only one defending me at all, and I decided that you could be trusted with my secret."

"Théo?" I ask, raising my eyebrow. When he nods, I fold my arms and say, "Prove it."

"Do you have a bathroom I could use?" He asks in response, and while I'm confused, I nod.

"Yes, it's inside. Um, follow me, I guess." I lead the way inside, and as I do, comment, "Thank you again for saving me from that mugger."

"Wh-Well, it is part of being a hero. It wasn't a _paw_ -blem." That one was even more of a stretch. They really are getting worse and worse, although at least he's stopped making them every sentence, although if it starts again, I don't know what I'll do. However, that isn't my biggest concern. My biggest concern is whether or not this is real. Is Théo really my old partner, Chat Noir? I can't begin to wrap my mind around it. "Right here?"

I nod my head as he points to a door, and he steps inside. I wait patiently, and after a moment, he announces, "Get ready for what you _paw_ brobably thought was im- _paw_ -sible."

Then the door opens, and out steps the sculptor like he claimed. Théo Barbot. How is it even possible? I try and fail to explain it, mind blown. He's Chat Noir. He really is Chat Noir. How is it even possible? I have so many questions, but I can't even ask them because they would give away that I'm his miserable partner who failed and gave up on him. I can't ask about his kwami or anything else like that, because no one without a miraculous even knows about that sort of thing. It's frustrating, but I'll deal with it. I have more important things to figure out, like how it's even possible.

Finally, I decide on my first thing to ask. "Why do you change so much upon transforming?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "Your guess is as good as mine. I have yet to figure it out." He hesitates, and then asks, "You aren't going to tell everyone, _Purr_ incess?"

Why the heck does he have to keep using that embarrassing nickname? He's never used that much before, and I honestly was not expecting him to want to make these puns _out_ of costume as well. "No. I'm trustworthy. A girl of my word."

"I know." He smiles at me, and before I know it, our faces are inches apart.

"Théo!" I exclaim, pushing away and staring at him in shock. "What the heck are you doing?"

He stumbles backwards, eyes wide. "Marinette, I...I thought-" He looks around and freezes. It's then that I realize what's covering my walls: my pictures of Adrien. Now it's my turn to freeze as his gaze takes it all in before landing back on me. "That boy. The classmate that you mentioned. The famous model. He's all over your walls." I nod mutely, not sure what he wants me to do. "You like him?" There's an anger in his voice, and I'm suddenly afraid. He has the power of destruction on his side, and I have never seen Théo or Chat so angry before.

More afraid than I was earlier, I quietly comment, "He's my friend, Théo."

"Then why is his face plastered all over your wall?" He demands. Yes, I suppose that is a bit incriminating. I should really fix that. People might think I'm a stalker.

"I'm a fashion designer, and he's a model. It's not because of _him_ , it's because of the outfits. He just tends to be the one Gabriel Agreste uses when showing off his designs, which is expected since he is is his son. And I like having Gabriel's designs up here. He's my fashion idol, and I like to see what he designs for inspiration." It's not a _complete_ lie, right? All the stuff about Gabriel is true. It's just not why I have the pictures hanging there.

"Then why did you reject me?" He demands, and I realize that this is a minefield I have to navigate blindly.

"It's just..." I say, grasping for reasons in my head as I realize that there is no way that I can just say that I don't like him. He won't react well to that, and so I have to be clever, "It's all so sudden. You spring your identity on me, and then you try to kiss me? I think my reaction is fairly legitimate, and that any girl would have done the same. Not that I suggest trying it."

He relaxes, and inwardly I breath a sigh of relief. I'm out of the immediate fire. "My a- _paw_ -logies. Would you be more comfortable if I were in costume right now?"

I don't see why it matters, but I decide to nod and go along with it, assuming that that is a clue to him wanting to change. "It does feel weird to have you saying puns in this form." I don't dare say that I don't care which form says it, because I'm cringing no matter what.

"I a- _paw_ -logize." Now he's just making pretty much the exact same puns. I would've expected a punny and creative artist to be better at this, and he normally is. He must just be off his game.

However, I quickly realize that he is not just off his game. He was never in the game in the first place. Because, despite everything he's done so far, he is not actually Chat Noir. Out of his pocket I see a photo turned purple. Our photo, perhaps?

I don't get time to examine it further as he announces, "Chat Noir!"

His form melts before my very eyes. There is no kwami, and as I look at his hand, I realize that there is also no Miraculous. It is formed as he melts to Chat as well. I step back in shock, watching the brown hair that is tied back shifts to blonde hair that seems almost perfectly messed up. His eyes are closed, but as the transformation completes, he opens them to reveal green in the place of brown. Before my eyes, Théo Barbot has become Chat Noir, and revealed to me that he never was him to begin with. But he doesn't know that. I don't think he knows how our two heroes take on their forms, and he certainly doesn't know that I know. If the accident of me getting the Ladybug Miraculous never happened, I wouldn't. A part of me wishes that I didn't, so that I could be oblivious, but then I wouldn't know that Théo was an akuma.

But I can't expose that I know that. I don't want him to freak out, especially when I don't know just what his powers are exactly. All I've seen him do is shift between Théo and Chat. Could he do even more?

"Do I look _meow_ velous?" He asks, and it clicks in my head that the puns are so poor because they aren't actually coming from the hero. That makes me feel better, because at least when the real Chat makes them, he puts some effort in.

"Of course you do!" I say, giving a big smile and hoping he doesn't see how fake it is as I respond. "Um, do you mind if I go to the bathroom though? I want to talk more, but you know how it is..." I don't know what else to say to expand on the lie.

He nods. "Of course! My a- _paw_ -logies once again, _Purr_ incess!" Oh gosh, would he stop making those puns?

I step into the bathroom and shut the door. However, instead of making any move to do anything within, I whip my phone out. Alya has installed an Akuma Alert feature into the Ladyblog. If you use it, then it goes off saying an akuma is in the area. If Ladybug or Chat Noir see it, then they know to come. It's helpful to letting them know faster, especially since the owner is Ladybug herself. Not that anyone else knows that. Staring at the button, I take a deep breath and push it, sending out the alert. Hopefully one of them - I'm assuming Alya since she runs the blog - will see it and come, and alert the other to get here as fast as possible.

"I know they'll be here soon. They have to be!" I whisper to myself, shaking the phone.

* * *

 _Théo's Point of View_

* * *

From the other side of the door, I hear Marinette whisper the words, "I know they'll be here soon. They have to be!"

Betrayal stings my heart. It doesn't take a genius to know what that means. She alerted Chat Noir and Ladybug to my presence. I don't know how she figured out I'm an akuma. Then again, she's clever. It's one of the things I admire most about her. Still, that's far from the point. The point is that she's given me away. I can't let her do that. Despite how much I care for her, I have to do something to throw the heroes off my trail.

Which gives me an idea, and even though it'll involve hurting Marinette, it'll be worth it. I'm sure she'll understand once I have solidified my powers, and besides, she's the reason I have to do this in the first person.

Smirking, I creep over to her trapdoor upwards, and whisper, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

The form shifting is still a bit painful, but I'm becoming more and more used to it each time I do it. I check myself over, nodding approvingly as I catch sight of myself in the window reflection. I have definitely changed into the beautiful Marinette. I wouldn't mistake anything for her, although I can't tell the difference between the two of us. These powers are quite epic.

I glance at my new pocket, pulling the photo of Marinette and I out of it. No matter what, the contents of my pockets always transfer over, and that means the photo is always there. Satisfied that it is fine, I stuff it into my pocket again and zip it up. Then, I climb up onto the rooftop balcony and wait.

As predicted, Ladybug comes swinging up, and while I'm sure it's not critical for me to perfect my acting as a random bystander to a heroine who won't know her, I give it my best shot anyways. "Ladybug! You came!"

She lands and looks at me before scanning the surface of the balcony, narrowing her eyes as she focuses. "Where's the akuma?"

I point down the trapdoor. "They're down there, in the bathroom. They stole my phone to send out an akuma alert so that you'd think it's me instead!" Hopefully this isn't edging too close to revealing who I am. "It was so scary to have them break into my room. They can change to be whoever they want! And they look just like them!"

She gives me a skeptical look. "And why did they choose to attack you?"

"I think we must know each other." I say, hoping that it will be vague enough to be believable but specific enough to stop any questions. "I just don't know how, since they're an akuma. I was lucky to even catch on before it was too late."

"Fair." She says after a long moment of consideration. "Let's get you off this roof and down to safety. I want you to get far away from here, okay?"

"Got it, Ladybug." I say with a nod, doing my best to seem like an innocent and concerned victim, as I think that's how Marinette would respond.

Even though I have the opportunity to get her Miraculous right now, I hold back. Right now, I have the element of surprise, and she has no idea it's me. I will wait and do more planning, so that I have a proper tactic.

Ladybug grabs me, and attaches her yoyo to the railing before dropping down to the ground with me. She sets me down, gestures for me to move, and then pulls herself back up. I take off, just to make sure she believes me, but I can't go too far. Not in this form at least. Besides, I think Chat Noir should be dropping back in soon anyways. If things go according to the plan formulating in my mind, then I'll be _paw_ sitively _purr_ fect.

* * *

 _Alya's Point of View_

* * *

I drop down through the trapdoor, landing with as much grace as I can muster in my rush to get in. I don't know why the akuma has chosen this place, or to target Marinette who I know is in my class and has tried to reach out to me, but I want to wrap this up quickly. I hate when they start targeting specific people. Although, it does seem odd. Everyone seems to love the optimistic bluenette, so I can't fathom who would have a reason to attack her. Then again, Chloe might. Is she the akuma?

I hope she is. I would love to get the chance to wring her neck and not have to apologize for it. In fact, it would make sense if the akuma was her. She would be someone who would think this sort of tactic would work. Not only that, but she gets set off by the tiniest things. She's a bully and a jerk.

Certain now, I storm up to the door and slam my fist against it as my way of knocking. "Get out here where I can see you, akuma!"

A squeak comes from the other side followed by some scrambling around, and then a frightened response of, "Ladybug? I'm not the akuma!"

I fold my arms, scowling at the door. Out of all the dilemmas I've faced, I've never had an issue of an akuma _not_ wanting to fight. Normally they're very eager to leap into a battle as they try to get the Miraculous for Hawk Moth. How do I get her out?

"Oh really?" I say, almost laughing at the pathetic argument I'm having to have through a bathroom door. "And why am I supposed to believe that?"

"The akuma is out there!" She pauses, and then adds, "Unless he left because he figured out I was trying to get you guys to come and take him out."

" _Marinette_ was waiting for me on the roof. She told me about how you were pretending to be here, and took her phone to call us here while you hid in the bathroom so you could throw us off her trail." I comment, although based on how this akuma keeps referring to the fake being a guy, I'm starting to think it's not Chloe. Which, I begrudgingly admit, might make sense. As much as this situation has Chloe written all over it, she would _never_ pretend to be Marinette. She hates her too much for that.

"But I was so sure he thought I believed he was the real Chat Noir!" She protests, and it actually catches me off guard.

Wary of this being a trap, I ask, "What does this mess have to do with Chat Noir?"

"Whenever the akuma - his name is Théo Barbot - came, he came as Chat Noir. It was weird that he came right then because the real one had just saved me from a mugger and brought me home," My eyes narrow at this piece of information, but I will leave that to discuss with the missing in action Chat Noir later, if it's even true, "but I just went with it. He went into the bathroom and supposedly revealed his secret identity as Théo to me, but started to get mad when I rejected his advance. I recanted because I was afraid, and then as he transformed back into Chat Noir I realized that he was an akuma."

"And how exactly did you do that?" This whole thing leaves me feeling incredibly skeptical.

She sounds a little exasperated, as if my disbelief is somehow inconveniencing her. She's lucky I haven't busted this door down right here and right now, if she is even a real girl. "Because he didn't have a ring on until he transformed into Chat!" Of course, she does sound kind of like Marinette, and the information could line up. What to do, what to do?

Frowning, I finally say, "Can you prove you're Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

This question seems to excite her as she exclaims, "Yes!" She slides her locked phone under the door, and before I can ask what this will do, tells me what to do. "The password is 237436. An akuma wouldn't know that, would they?"

Still doubting, I put in the given password, and stare as the phone unlocks for me. "It worked."

"That's because I'm the real Marinette!" She says, and then her voice drops in concern. "Ladybug...The akuma...If he's not out there with you..." What she's slowly bringing to light dawns on me, and I almost slap myself in the face in frustration at my stupidity. "Where is he?"

She cracks the door open to peer at me through the small opening with one blue eye as I mumble, "I set them on the sidewalk outside and told them to get away from here."

She throws the door open all the way and scrambles out. "Then why are we still here? We have to go after him! Who knows what he's up to now?"

Marinette then attempts to lead the charge towards her trapdoor, but I loop my arm around her waist and manage to hold her back. " _We_?" She stares back at me as I shake my head. "No way. There is no _we_ in this. I'm going to make sure you get to a safe place since this akuma is obviously somehow connected to you in particular, and then I'll go find him."

As I adjust my hold to be more secure and makes hr way to the trapdoor, she suddenly remember something. "Wait, the akuma! I think it's in a photo in his pocket. I could be wrong, but I think the contents of his pockets transfer over with him from form to form. I saw a glimpse of it when he transformed."

Nodding my head, I climb out onto the rooftop balcony. As I set Marinette beside me, I mumble to myself, "I'm an idiot." How the heck did I let an akuma dupe me like that? I cost myself precious time by doing so! Shaking the thoughts away, I say louder, "There's gotta be a safe spot near here to leave you."

Before anything can be determined, a leather clad boy drops onto the railing a few feet away from us, panting. "I'm sorry I'm late, Ladybug! Where's the akuma?"

Embarrassed, I mutter, "It got away, so we have to track it."

Chat Noir's eyes widen slightly as he asks with a slight bit of amusement, "You, the heroic 'I-have-everything-in-control' Ladybug, let the akuma get away?"

"Shut up, Noir! It's not like you were here to help, which would have made our job easier! No, you had to arrive _late_." I snarl the words at him, scowling. What took him so long anyways? He's always arriving late. It's yet another problem with him that he refuses to acknowledge. Doesn't he understand how to be a proper superhero? "Look, I'm going to go after this copycat. You take this civilian to safety, and then come find me."

I honestly don't love the fact that I have to send _him_ to take her to safety based on the fact that he appears to be bonding and forming some sort of relationship with her. That _can't_ be allowed to happen, because it could mean favoritism in a decision later or lead to her getting attacked by an akuma. However, I don't have much of a choice. It's better that he does this while I go after our villain and save the day. It gets him out of the way seeing as he's obviously not in the mood to not mess stuff up, and it frees me up from having to find a spot to put Marinette.

"But how will I-" He begins to protest, but stop when I glare at him. "Right. I'll do it. Just how will I-" He stops again as I fold my arms, and instead turns to offer his hand to the surprisingly silent Marinette standing beside me. " _Purr_ incess?"

Shaking my head and now even more sure that I'll have to lecture him later, I take off yoyo-ing. I only manage a few swings before something catches my eye in a TV store window. Several TVs are playing there, and all of them are playing the news channel, which could provide a clue depending on how under the radar the akuma is acting. I descend, thankful that no one crowds around me as I examine the current report playing.

"This is just in." The red-haired reporter speaks as she stands in front of a burning building. Desperate firefighters swarm over it, trying to salvage what's left of the wreckage. "Thrifting is burning to the ground as we speak, and the fire started within the hour. Witnesses claim that Nolan Petit, the owner of this thrift store, came in and began the fire himself. One worker commented that it, 'makes no sense. He loves the store. It's his baby.' We'll be keeping you updated as the story progresses."

I turn away, not needing to hear anymore. While I don't know why he'd did it, a store owner that isn't acting like himself sounds exactly like our akuma. The store is fairly far from where I am, so while I can reach it fairly quickly, it does make me wonder how the akuma got there so fast. Most likely he changed forms. I don't care, so long as we catch him. My best bet to do so is to get to the store and check for clues. He might even still be there. And besides, he's got to confront me - and I suppose Chat Noir as well - soon, right? All akumas go after the Miraculous as well as getting what they want. Surely Hawkmoth won't want to wait too much longer. He never has before.

"Ladybug!" As I pull myself up onto a nearby roof with my yoyo, I hear my name called out. Landing with a sigh, I turn to see my pretty pathetic partner scrambling towards me.

"Did you get Marinette to safety?" I ask, looking Chat Noir over carefully. After hearing that this akuma changed into Chat Noir, I'm skeptical of my partner's sudden appearance. It seems far too fast to have gotten her to a proper hiding spot.

He nods his head. "She's very _paw_ -tected."

I frown at the pun. Is he really going to start spouting off that crap again? It's yet another sign that he doesn't take this seriously. What did he even do to deserve his Miraculous? Whatever it was, it was obviously misjudged.

Sighing and trying to ignore it for now, I gesture for him to follow me, but after a step turn to look at him again, still not sure that it is him. "How do I know you're you?"

"How do I know _you're_ you?" He counters. "We're in quite the _paw_ -dicament."

"Can the puns, Noir!" I growl, hands folding into fists as I take a threatening step towards him. "This is serious!"

"Definitely you." He responds with a nod and a smirk.

Huffing, I prepare once more to yoyo off and lead the way to the akuma, although this time I keep my teammate in my sights. He still seems suspicious. "It seems like he was last at this store called-"

"-Thrifting." The cat finishes, and I look at him, now even more skeptical.

"How do you know that?" I ask, jabbing an accusing finger at him. "How did you have anytime to find that out while dropping Marinette off?"

"How did _you_ know?" The same counter as before, and it is incredibly suspicious. He squirms uncomfortably under my gaze as my eyes narrow, examining him for any sign that he is not my usually annoying teammate.

"I saw it on a TV in a store window while I was looking for him. The store was burned down by the owner, who was acting suspiciously out of character." I respond carefully after a moment of thought, waiting for his excuse.

And as I suspected, he bobs his head and says, "I saw it an a TV as well while I was hiding Marinette. How un- _paw_ -dictable. Quite a coincidence, right?" He chuckles nervously.

That is far too fishy of a response to not investigate him further. The nervous laugh at the end is practically proof on its own. He wouldn't do that if it weren't true! He's covering, which means that this has to be the akuma. However, I need just a bit more proof. I'll have to lay a clever trap for him, like the superheros in my comics do to suspicious fakes. I have to use my Ladybug creativity. I totally got this.

"The reporter dude looked kind of weird though, didn't he?" The moment I say it, I want to facepalm. I'm a superhero, and that's all I can come up with? How pathetic is that? Where's that creativity Tikki says all Ladybugs are supposed to have? That trap was the weakest one I could have made. Besides, what if there was another news channel covering it? I doubt there was, but there is the possibility. I'll have to try something else.

"Ya, he was rather ugly." Chat Noir agrees, but he rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably and looks like he might be sweating. He looks super guilty and like he's flying with no idea of what he's doing.

Still, I have to check again with a more obvious lie. A double check question never hurts, although it's obvious that I don't need it. Yet Tikki will be proud to hear I didn't act rashly. Then she will finally stomp out that last bit of longing for the Ladybug before me because she will see that I can handle this job!

And that is why I find myself nodding my head, stepping towards this fake once again. "So, before we go after this stupid akuma," He flinches a little at the words, "How about a kiss for luck? Like we normally do?" That makes no sense for our relationship, but if he's a fake, he might agree just to not look suspicious.

A look of horror passes over his face for a brief instant before he gulps and nods. "Right. Let's do it."

I confidently close the distance between us. I've got _this_ cat in the bag this time. He looks slightly terrified as I lean in, and he even leans back a little bit. He's a horrible actor. I mean honestly, he should be doing a little bit better if he actually wants to get away with this. This was almost too easy to deduce.

When our lips are mere inches apart, I whisper, "The TV reporter was a girl."

He stiffens and visibly pales in front of me, taking a step back. "What?"

"And," I continue, ignoring the look of realization in his eyes as he acknowledges that I caught the fact that he is a fake, "I would _never_ kiss my sidekick. Our relationship is strictly professional and will stay that way. Besides, have you seen how foolish he acts all the time? He's always ruining things and making me have to clean up even more messes! I wouldn't kiss him if my life depended on it." He's practically shaking at this point as I add, "Also, he stopped making those bad puns, _Théo_."

"So Marinette ratted on me." The akuma straightens up, his look of fear replaced with a rather confident and almost smug smirk. "After I get the Miraculous, I'll find her and have a nice _chat_." He raises his arms straight up from his sides, looking skyward for a moment before turning his smirk back to me. "Tell me, Ladybug, are you ready to fight yourself?" I prepare to throw my yoyo at this imposter to stop the fight before it's begun only for him to shout, "Ladybug!"

I stop before I can toss it, confused. Why is he calling for my attention as if I'm not already watching him? It's a completely idiotic concept. There has to be something else to it. But what? My question is quickly answered for me before I can vocalize it. I suppose I should have been able to figure this one out on my own, because it's sort of a slap to my face. Before my eyes, Chat Noir slowly melts to someone else. His suit begins to change to orange, leaving only small circles of black on it. His skin darkens and his eyes shift from green to a light brown. His mask alters to the same color as the rest of the suit, leaving two black dots on both ends of it. As a last touch, his hair pulls out in length as it changes to a reddish brown, revealing the appearance of red earrings with black spots on his ears.

There's no doubt about it. Marinette was telling the truth about this copycat's powers. Before my very eyes, the akuma has transformed into me. Despite having been prepared, it still is quite shocking to actually witness. That is why, despite willing myself to act, all I can do is gape. I'd never tell anyone, but this has actually caught me off guard.

Théo chuckles at my expression and opens his mouth to let my voice pour out and challenge me. "Let's see how strong you really are."

* * *

 _Adrien's Point of View_

* * *

I close my baton with an annoyed groan, rejected once again. I suppose the fact that my first call was not answered should have been my clue that none of them would be, but I tried to call Ladybug two more times anyways. However, none of them worked, which is frustrating beyond belief. I have no clue where Ladybug is, so I can't meet up with her to help. When I tried to point this out to her earlier, she kept interrupting because she seemed to think I was protesting her commands. Which were also frustrating, but that's a completely different point. How are we supposed to be partners - perhaps a more accurate way of putting our relationship would be teammates, since being treated as a sidekick hardly qualifies as being on the same level as Ladybug - if she won't even keep me in the loop?

I don't see how it's even fair for her to get mad at me for arriving late at times or making mistakes when she won't tell me anything.

Then inspiration hits me. When battling a past akuma, I was forced to find Ladybug for pretty much the exact same reason as this time. She went off to find them while I was sent to do something else, and she gave me no clue as to how to find her once I finished my task. By pure luck - quite unexpected from a black cat - I found a feature on my baton that opened up a tracking screen showing me exactly where Ladybug was. If I can find it again, I'll know exactly where to go to help.

It was somewhere on the back, right? I flip it over and run a gloved hand over it, stopping when my finger lands on an unfamiliar button. I press it, and then flip the baton back over to see that the screen has opened again, pleased to see that the tracker I found before is up. A map of Paris sprawls out on it, although I can only see a small portion, and a mini Ladybug head is shown on a roof not too far from here.

"Purr-fect," I whisper to myself, pleased that I am able to identify the spot.

Then I pause. I made another pun. The excitement of that habit creeping back up is almost enough to outweigh my frustration with Ladybug. I don't know why it happened again - I suspect that it has something to do with Marinette and how sweet she's been to my alter ego, especially when I was getting her to safety earlier - but I'll take it. The puns make this job more enjoyable and distract from the fact that it feels more like a duty than an honor at this point. Besides, despite what Ladybug might say, I'm good at them. They'll grow on her, right? I try to tell myself that, but I don't think I believe it.

My conversation with Nino from before echoes in my head. _"Do you think Chat Noir ever considers giving up his position after all the crap he receives. I mean, he gets all this crap from everyone and is super unappreciated. His partner dropped the ball. I was just thinking, 'Hey, I wonder if he ever thought he should do the same thing.'"_ Now that the seed has been planted, despite what I tell myself, I'm starting to wonder if maybe Chat Noir should do just that. If my relationship with the new Ladybug continues in the downward spiral that it has been going in, I'm worried that I might do just that.

Glancing at my baton screen once again, I shake away the negative thoughts and set off in pursuit of Ladybug. She hasn't moved at all, so I'm assuming that means that she found the akuma. I would love to think that she's waiting for me to take them on, but I think it's far more likely that they're fighting there. I do my best not to let that bother me though. I can still help and prove myself to her. Thankfully, it doesn't take very long to reach her, yet whenever I see her, I come to a halt on the next roof over. The sight before me is one that I certainly did not expect.

Ladybug is tussling with a figure that looks exactly like herself. Or is a Ladybug wanna-be tussling with Ladybug? They both look identical, and even though I try to examine them from this short distance, I can't see a difference. I try to look at my baton's tracker for guidance, but it only shows me her general location, offering no clue as to which is which. Is the akuma's power being Ladybug? Ladybug did call them a copycat. Perhaps they're jealous of Ladybug? But how will I ever be able to tell who is who?

Confused, I shut the screen of my baton before using it to help me leap across the roof to them. "And here I was thinking that one of you was enough."

"Noir!" Snarls the one on the right as she knees the other in the stomach. She certainly _sounds_ like Ladybug. "Stop wasting time and make yourself useful!"

"Give me some help, Noir!" The left one snaps after, throwing a punch that's easily dodged. What the heck? She sounds like Ladybug as well!

"Gah, how am I supposed to tell you apart?" I say in frustration, looking from one to the other and once again seeing no difference.

The one on the right casts a glare my way before trying to kick the other one, seeming rather impatient. "What kind of hero are you, not being able to tell your teammate apart from a fake? Stop being an idiot and act already!"

The left one cuts her off, smacking her foot down. "Look, Chat Noir, isn't the difference between us obvious? She's the akuma. Now stop gawking and do something useful." She's not nearly as forceful as the other.

I pause, looking between both, and then I act. Leaping into their brawl, I shove them apart before jerking the one on the left even further away from the fight. It's surprisingly easy to tackle her to the ground, probably because she seems completely taken aback by it. Satisfied that I have her pinned down, I place my hands on her shoulders to keep her there.

She apparently isn't ready to stop fighting though, as she wriggles beneath me and glares in an attempt to escape. "You have the wrong bug, you stupid cat!"

"The akuma is in her earrings!" The other shouts. "Seeing as her power appears to be copying me, that's the only thing that makes sense anyways."

"The akuma doesn't just mimic _me_ , Noir." Snaps the one beneath me in response, angling her head away from me. "He can mimic anyone. He mimicked you earlier! The akuma is in a photo in his pocket."

I ignore her despite the gnawing anxiety that choosing wrong here will have horrific consequences. Ladybug will never forgive me if I do the wrong thing here. Not only would it reveal her secret identity to the world, but it could end up meaning that the Miraculous are handed over to Hawkmoth.

Yet I'm sure I made the right choice. Why am I doubting my own judgement? I reach for her exposed earring as the Ladybug I have deemed as the real one snaps an order at me. "Do it already!"

My hand trembles as it gets closer, and the fake snaps, "If you take my Miraculous and Hawkmoth gets it, so help me! Necessary or not necessary, you will be dead!"

I move to snatch her earrings off as she struggles even more fiercely, but her head moves and my hand brushes past them. I stop there, my hand lingering beside them as I try to quell my anxiety again.

However, the Ladybug that is still to the right of us does not seem to realize this as she announces in an almost giddy tone, "One down, one to go."

"You're real!" I say in shock to the one that I still am pressing to the ground.

She throws me off as she growls, "Of course I am! You fell for the stupid akuma!"

We both turn to face the Ladybug who has now been revealed to be the fake, and I am now determined to be the one to take her down after a nasty trick like that. However, she just grins as she shouts, "Ladybug!"

I exchange a confused look with Ladybug before running at her, only to stop myself right in front of her as she transforms right before my eyes. Forget the orange Ladybug standing a few feet away from me. The akuma has taken on a very different look, one that has haunted my dreams. My heart aches at the sight of the red suit beginning to cover her body as the black spots move. Her hair is pulled upwards as it shifts to blue, with adorable pigtails sprouting out, both tied with red ribbon. Her skin pales, and then the mask changes to red as the black spots multiply and move. For the final touch, the light brown eyes shift, and now I see bluebell-colored eyes staring into mine.

"M'lady?" I whimper, staring at the partner that I have lost as the void inside of me since her disappearance begins to fill me.

I try to tell myself that it's not her. That this Ladybug standing before me is gone and never coming back. That she left me. That the Ladybug standing beside me, shouting at me to move, is my partner now. That I need to stop longing for the girl suddenly standing in front of me. That I need to do _something_. Yet, despite knowing I'm being deceived, my eyes swear to me that she's here. My muscles scream as I try to order them to move, telling me that I cannot fight the girl before me. No matter how much I'd like to, no matter how much I need to, I cannot bear the idea of lifting a finger against the girl I knew and admired for barely a day.

"What's wrong? Can't fight me, Kitty?" She even has her voice, and I have the devastating realization that I really can't fight her.

From behind me, the new Ladybug shouts, "Lucky charm!"

I turn away, unable to watch as I hear something smack someone in the head. _My_ Ladybug hits the ground with a thud, and I hear the one who is supposed to be my partner shouting things at her with a venom. Even my mind can't address her as the akuma that she is. I can't tell whether Ladybug is angry at the sight of the Ladybug before her or the akuma, or perhaps even me. The first one doesn't make any sense though. Why would she be mad at the Ladybug who gave her spots up and gave them to her?

I listen to them fight for a moment longer, and then hear a pained, "No!"

I turn back at that to see Ladybug pull the photo out of the akuma's pocket and proceeds to tear it in half, leaving me a brief second to see that the picture is of Marinette and the guy who picked her up from school today, Théo. Taking me eyes off of it, I see that off to the side lays a red box with black spots, no doubt her lucky charm. Is that what she threw at the akuma? I force myself to keep addressing the akuma in my head as an akuma, hoping to make myself acknowledge that my Ladybug is not here right now. She's gone.

Ladybug throws her yoyo out, de-evilising the akuma, and then ignores her lucky charm and the akuma victim - none other than Théo himself - detransforming behind her as she turns her attention to me. "Noir." She growls her chosen way to address me, one that I don't like but have chosen not to make a fuss over in an attempt to pick my battles wisely.

"Look, Ladybug, I-" I try to apologize and excuse my behavior before she can yell at me for whatever it's going to be this time, but she cuts me off.

"-made an idiotic mistake and nearly cost me my Miraculous!" I would not have finished with anything like that, but I realize that now is not the time to make a snarky comment about it. Now that Ladybug has started, there's no stopping her. "You have done so many things wrong, Noir, I don't even know where to begin."

"Then don't?" I know I shouldn't make the comment, but I can't resist. There goes my good decision to not make a snarky comment because now is not the time.

She scowls, crossing her arms in obvious disgust. "That right there is part of the problem. You never take anything seriously! Your stupid puns, your inability to arrive anywhere on time, the fact that you constantly get in the way. This isn't a game, Noir! This is a duty that we have to Paris. We're heroes. We put the citizens first, above ourselves. This is a full-time job, but you can't seem to realize that!" I'm sure my face looks like she has slapped me, but she just barrels on to her next point. "And speaking of which, a job like this means we can't get attached to civilians. Do you realize how much danger you put Marinette in? You made a connection to her, bonded with her, and then an akuma used that. He pretended to be you when he broke in, and she might have believed him if she weren't smarter. What the heck were you thinking, connecting to her while being Chat Noir? She could get hurt again because of that, or you could have to deal with making a difficult choice to save her or so many others later!"

I break in here, starting to get angry. "I saved her life earlier when she was getting mugged. That's _all_! What did you want me to do? Keep my nose out of it? What kind of hero would I be if I did that?"

She ignores my comment, continuing once more. "And then you thought the akuma was me. You couldn't even tell your own teammate apart from a phony! I did it earlier. It was an obvious difference. How could you not tell us apart?" Because they both treated me like idiots. They both were horrible towards me, but I can't say that. "You nearly got my Miraculous taken by Hawkmoth so that the akuma wouldn't be stopped, and you nearly did it by your own hands!" I try to open my mouth to offer some sort of apology or excuse, but she won't hear it. "And then he changed into the Ladybug before me. The one you originally worked with. And you couldn't fight her. She's a weakness to you! You saw your original partner and all you could think about was her! You couldn't fight the akuma manipulating you. You thought for a moment that she was back. You wanted her over me!"

"Yes, yes I did." I finally interrupt, officially done taking this crap from. "I wanted her over you and I still do! She was ten times better as Ladybug. She knew what she was doing. She cared. She was smart, clever, funny, and beautiful. She was endearing. She was better and braver than you'll ever be!" I take a deep breath and look back at the shocked face staring back at me. "There. I said it."

"She _chose_ me for this job." Ladybug spits the words at me in a dangerously low voice. "Out of everyone out there, she chose _me_ to be Ladybug. She hung up the mantle. Gave up the position. Turned her back on Paris and on _you_. Is that the kind of example you want to follow here?"

"This wasn't just some duty we had to accomplish when she was Ladybug!" I snap, bawling my hands into fists in my rage.

"Then maybe," Her voice has turned quite cold and unconcerned with me as she turns away, "If that's how you feel, you should give up the ring."

I stare at her with wide eyes, actually caught off guard and hurt. "Is that really how you feel?"

She turns back around and says very calmly, "They chose the wrong Chat Noir, just like they chose the wrong Ladybug." And on that note, she turns away once more and grabs her lucky charm, tossing it into the air and shouting, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

As the mass of ladybugs flies out, she doesn't even glance back at me as she throws her yoyo out and swings off, no doubt to go detransform somewhere before her time runs out. I never used my Cataclysm though, so I'm still not on a time limit. I almost sink to the ground till I see that Théo is staring at me. I didn't realize he was still on the roof. Does that mean he saw everything that happened? Does he know what just occurred?

Nino's comments echo in my head again, seeming to have more and more appeal each time they come crossing through.

I make eye contact with the gawking Théo and tiredly ask, "Why did you choose to pretend me?"

"You saved Marinette from that mugger when I was right around the corner, about to leap in and save her. You stole that from me, and she seemed to adore you for it. She already seemed to adore you. She's kind like that. I thought she might love me if she thought I was you." He pauses and chuckles. "I realized she didn't when I tried to kiss her after 'revealing' myself." He pauses, eyes narrowed as he examines me. "I don't mind now. I'm embarrassed by what I did, so I'm going to apologize, and I accept that Marinette doesn't like me that way. However, what I can't accept why she likes _you_ in _any_ way. Ladybug did everything in that fight. You just kept freezing up and choosing wrong."

"You don't know anything!" I hiss. "You're just a stupid civilian who can't imagine what it's like to be left with the weight of the entire city of Paris on your shoulders _every single day_."

"Then if it's so much of a chore, why do you keep doing it?" Théo shoots back before walking towards the door down from the roof. "I'm sorry, Chat Noir, but I just don't see what you do that helps Paris anymore."

"You don't deserve having me save you guys!" I shout angrily, but the anger melts into despair as the door shuts behind him. What's the point of being a hero when everyone hates you for it?

* * *

 **So there we have it. Chapter Two of Balancing Act. Was it good? Bad? How did you feel about our first akuma? I'm hoping Copycat was expected, seeing as Théo was referenced so much last chapter and this chapter. How did you feel about what I did with him? Hopefully you guys like that I used him first, and were okay with the difference in his powers. What were your thoughts on his encounter with Marinette? How about seeing Alya in action as Ladybug for the first time? Were you expecting her to fall for** **Copycat's Marinette act? How about her interrogation of** **Chat Noir later when exposing him to really be Copycat? Did you think Chat Noir chose the wrong Ladybug during their fight before it was exposed that he did? What are your thoughts on when Copycat transformed into the first Ladybug? Were you expecting the big fight between Ladybug and Chat Noir? What are your thoughts on that? Do you think Ladybug really meant all of that, or was she acting in anger? What do you think our precious Chat is going to do? Any akumas you guys are excited to see? You can let me know in a review, and show your support by either doing that, favoriting this story, or following it! :D  
**

 **Speaking of reviews, let me answer yours now. c: Thank you so much for all of the awesome support you guys have given so far! I'm really glad that this Miraculous swapping story has been received well, and I swear I've got quite the plan in store. I just need to finish mapping out what direction I want the ending to go in, but that won't be for a _long_ while.**

 **The ShadowEye : Thank you! Hopefully you like the direction this chapter went in.  
**

 **LadybugLover21 : Aw, but where would the drama be in that? :p Of course this chapter probably only made you wish she took back more, but I promise we'll be seeing lots of fun Miraculous drama. cx**

 **May : I'm glad it's good so far! I love it too, which is why I decided I needed to try out the concept. Hopefully you're liking the direction this is taking!**

 **code R.R : Thank you! I'm glad you're liking the take. As for what happens to Adrien, don't worry. We'll be seeing that once the Black Cat Miraculous leaves his hands. c:  
**

 **Life as a Siren : I'm glad it's making you really excited, and that the storyline flipping was done well! I'm really happy that this is coming across smoothly, especially seeing as I'm trying to make these updates longer. c: And haha, hopefully this wait wasn't too unbearable then! One day isn't _all_ that bad, right?  
**

 **Until next time! Next chapter might be a lit less high stakes and akuma-fighting, but it will certainly not cut back on the drama. I'm super excited to write it and take this story in all sorts of directions.**

 **~ Dagger**


	3. Messy Pawdicaments

**Chapter 3 - Messy Pawdicaments  
**

 **Hey guys! I'm back with another update for you guys. c: While it was not my intention to update this yet, it has been pointed out to me that my story has apparently been too close for some's comfort to another story on here. It has been around for longer and has more written, so I completely understand any concerns you guys might have on that. I'm also glad to have it pointed out to me, so that I could address the problem head on. I talked to the lovely person who pointed it out to me to do my best to reassure them that I am not copying, but hopefully this chapter will also push me off onto a different path so as to eliminate any further concerns on the matter. It would never be my intention to steal from another person, as I take great pride in trying to make my stories unique as well as taking pride into the effort I have to put in. Please feel free to PM me at any time if you have concerns on the subject, and I deeply apologize to anyone who feels I have done so, as that would never be my intention. As I said previously, hopefully this chapter will quell any further concerns on the subject.**

 **Speaking of which, let's get on with the chapter already! Hopefully you guys will enjoy it. c:  
**

* * *

 _Adrien's Point of View_

* * *

"Plagg, claws in." I say as I drop in through the window, resisting the urge to cringe as I hear the distinct tone of defeat in my voice.

The transformation drops without a single hitch, and Plagg comes spinning out of the ring like usual. However, he quickly stops and seats himself on the arm of my bedroom couch, oddly composed compared to his usual behavior. It's almost disturbing not to hear him whining for camembert the moment the suit comes off. However, it's obvious that he has, for one reason or another, decided that now is the time for him to be serious with me.

"Listen, kid," He says, green eyes practically boring holes into mine as he folds his arms and frowns, "that crap that Ladybug said about you? Throw it all out the window. Who does she even think she is, talking to you like that? You were here first, not her. She was never meant to be chosen. Her having the Miraculous is a complete fluke!" His temper flares as he hops to his feet, glaring at the window as if Ladybug will be lurking there. "She has no right to say that trash. You aren't a sidekick. You guys are partners! She needs to start treating you that way. We need to get out there and prove her wrong..." He trails off, turning back to look at me for confirmation. Instead, distress takes over his expression as his tail droops and he ends with a pathetic, "Right?"

"Plagg, please don't bother." I respond, shaking my head before setting it to rest in my hands as I allow my elbows to sit on my knees. "We both know she's right."

The tiny, black Kawmi's mouth drops open in absolutely shock, obviously floored that I would even say that. "What the heck do you mean, kiddo? You wouldn't...You couldn't possibly...You don't believe her, do you? Because she's wrong!"

I shake my head. "Plagg, this Ladybug and I don't mesh right together. We don't fit, and Ladybug doesn't need me to do anything."

That comment receives loud protests in response. "But she does! Every Ladybug needs a Chat Noir!"

I sigh dejectedly. "But she doesn't need _me_ as Chat Noir. You just said so yourself. She only needs _a_ Chat Noir. Maybe the other Ladybug needed me, the one who was meant to be my partner, but this Ladybug isn't meant for me and I'm not meant for her."

Plagg scowls deeply. "I told you, this Ladybug having the Miraculous is a complete fluke! Why should she get a Chat Noir that suits her? Why would you reward the way she is behaving? If she actually feels that way and isn't speaking rashly, which is how the situation appears, then she is a major jerk who you need to show up by keeping the Miraculous. Your Ladybug is going to come back, kid. You just have to have patience."

"Stop it, Plagg!" I snap, frustration overtaking my hurt. "That's not fair to her. No matter how much I detest this current Ladybug, she's doing her job for Paris. She obviously cares about what happens to the civilians and she takes her job seriously. Maybe I do still stand by the things I said to her earlier, but that's not fair for me to say to her. It's not fair for me to compare her to someone who turned down the job, and it's certainly not fair for me to want her to have her Miraculous taken away so that someone who gave them up - no matter how wonderful they are - can reclaim them. That's not how the world works any other time. Why should it now?"

He cringes at my end question but doesn't seem to have a good answer to it, as instead he says, "Adrien Agreste, you are one of the best Chat Noirs the Black Cat Miraculous has ever had the honor of being held by. You are _good_. Don't let this Ladybug take that from you."

I shake my head, his words bouncing off of my heart that has closed off from his words. "You chose the wrong Chat Noir, Plagg."

"Adrien, are you even listening to me?" The cat demands, emitting a low growl.

"I'm not fit for this role." I say, the realization sinking in more and more fully the longer we discuss it.

"Stop it!" Plagg practically yells the words, almost throwing himself in front of my face so that I can't look away. "You were destined to be Chat Noir. This Miraculous was meant to be yours. How can you toss that away? How can you just give _up_?"

I glare at him, folding my arms. "Because I'm sick and tired of what I'm trying to do for Paris going unappreciated! I've done a lot for the city, and I don't even get any thanks for it. It could be anything, but just some sort of support and acknowledgement would be appreciated! Don't you get that?"

The kwami sinks down a little, ears drooping. "So that's what you're saving the city for? For thanks? Gratitude? Attention?" His eyes narrow as he says words that make my blood boil. "If that's why you're doing this, you're as bad as your friend, Chloe."

"You have no right to say that about me or my friend!" I snap, standing up and nearly whacking the black cat out of the air.

"If you're going to quit for those reasons, then I have every right!" There's a hint of desperation in his voice. "If you give this up, there might be no going back. At least right now the balance is slightly intact. We are still on track for the real Ladybug to regain her spots. But if you do this, the balance will be destroyed. Neither of you might ever regain the Miraculous."

"Maybe that's okay, Plagg." I say with a sigh. "Apparently we don't deserve it."

That fires him up again as he snarls, "Adrien, if you do this, I will never forgive you!" If I didn't know any better, I'd say his eyes are actually filling with tears as he whispers, "I can't lose you too."

Again I don't fully comprehend what he's saying as I bark back words that I instantly regret. "I think I can live with you not forgiving me for putting myself first for once."

"Adrien, please, don't do this." Plagg sounds almost pitiful as he pleads with me.

"I'm doing what's best for the people of Paris." I say, sounding far more calm about this matter than I actually am. My hands grip onto the ring, terror rushing through me as I do. "Isn't that what a hero does?"

"A hero doesn't run from his problems. What are you doing?" It sounds almost as if he's wailing.

"There's going to be a better Chat Noir out there. I'm going to find them." It hurts to say the words, but they have to be said.

"Stop! Please!" He cries the words out as I start to slide the ring off. "Don't do this!"

I shake my head, gripping it even harder as my resolve toughens. "This would have happened sooner or later, Plagg. It's better that it happens sooner."

He tries to protest again, looking so desperate and - dare I say it - afraid as he reaches towards me, but then I pull the ring off. I don't know what exactly I expect to have happen, but I didn't expect for the black cat to simply disappear from existence.

I twist my head around to see if he has simply moved to somewhere else, but he truly is gone. "Plagg?" I whisper his name, and I can't figure out why I want him so badly to be here after what he said, especially because he'd still have to go.

It's better this way, right?

Staring down at the white ring in my hand with a sinking feeling in my stomach, I stumble over to my desk, not totally sure that I'm really here in my body at this moment. Am I really in control, or am I just along for the ride? I try to push these disorienting thoughts away as I open the drawer and pull out the box my ring originally came to me in. I didn't know why I kept it at that time, but I suppose it's paying off now. Carefully I force my fingers to unfold from my tight hold on the Miraculous, setting it in the box.

This is the right thing to do. There's someone out there better for the position, better for this Ladybug, better for Paris. I just have to find them and give this to them. Then I can be plain old Adrien Agreste, confined to my house and schedule and image, but free from yet another shackle. What once offered me freedom had shackled me to yet another duty begging for my every waking moment. It's not worth attempting to stick it out. Plagg was wrong about it fixing itself out eventually. I'm doing the right thing, so why does this feel so wrong?

Shaking away these lurking thoughts, I force the box closed with a snap. I have to figure out who the mantel of Chat Noir should be passed to. These are the times where the fact that I barely know anyone can be quite the dilemma. Who would help the city of Paris? Who will the civilians trust and support? Who will work well with Ladybug? Who was supposed to be Chat Noir instead of me? There's got to be someone. Someone who is good, kind, and up to the task.

Someone like my best friend, Nino Lahiffe.

It makes sense. The slip up must have been because we were going to be best friends, so someone got confused. It's a weak argument, but even if that's not the case, Nino is definitely the person meant to be Chat Noir instead of me. I'll slip the box into his bag without him knowing at some point during school tomorrow, before another akuma attack. If I had more time, I'd write a note along with it, but I have all of my homework to do. He should be fine without it, right? Plagg can explain everything to him like he did for me. He's got it, and once he meets Nino, he'll understand why I had to do what I did. Why Nino is so much more qualified for this job.

I feel satisfied with my decision, but even as I stand up to get on with my work, I know that a part of me feels incomplete without the familiar weight on my fingers. But I keep telling myself that I've made the right decision. Nino makes sense. He was even the one who planted the idea of quitting in my head. It must be fate, a sign that things are trying to right themselves. I just have to help. Plagg is wrong. It's as simple as that, right?

* * *

 _Marinette's Point of View_

* * *

It's official. I'm the most unlucky person to ever walk the streets of Paris.

Having overslept again, I barely have time to tie my hair up before barreling down the stairs in the first outfit I managed to find in my closet. I don't know how it's possible, but I'm running even later than I was yesterday. More of my typical Marinette luck, I suppose.

Not stopping for breakfast today, I snag my bag off the counter and toss a "Bye! Love you!" over my shoulder as I leave.

However, I don't manage to make it more than two steps before barreling directly into someone. "Oh my gosh, Marinette, are you okay?"

I look up wide-eyed with an apology on my lips only to see Théo staring right back at me, which completely wipes apologizing from my mind. "Oh, uh, Théo! Hi." Realizing I forgot my apology, I quickly add, "Sorry?" Sadly, it comes across much less confidently than I intended. Talk about awkward.

I move to pass him, but he steps ever so slightly into my way as he begins to talk, meaning that he is blocking me as well as making it so that if I leave I'm being rude. Not only is this incredibly awkward after that last akuma, but now I'm going to be even later to school. "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened while I was akumatized. I saw what I did from some stuff on the Ladyblog. As far as I can tell, I was a major jerk." Apparently I must make an unintentional expession of confirmation, because he cringes. "I also learned that apparently the cat's out of the bag when it comes to my feelings." He shuffles nervously in front of me, and inwardly I cringe. What am I supposed to do? Reject him gently? Just go along with it and pretend that I feel the same way to avoid rejecting him? I can't do that; I love Adrien! So what do I do? "I am really sorry. Maybe I could make it up to you over dinner sometime?" We both know the unspoken message attached to that; he's asking me out on a date.

"While I'm sure that you would make sure that it was a very nice time," I say, trying to be as gentle as possible when I do, "I dom't feel the same way about you." Reflexively I cringe backwards, afraid to see his reaction.

"No, I understand." He gives me a sad smile, which morphs into a sneaker one. "The blonde, right?" My face must go red, because he chuckles with amusement. "Well, he better treat you right." I decide not to add that Adrien doesn't even know I exist.

I shift nervously, nodding as I say, "Théo, I am running late to school again, and I _really_ have to go..."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I forgot that you start so early." He steps out of the way, ushering me forward before I go running towards the school.

I end up rushing up the stairs to the classroom, not quite as late as I expected to be, and I'm thankful that I do not trip this time. Having learned my lesson the first time, I slowly open the door and do my best to be silent so as not to call attention to myself. Yet, to my surprise, class is just starting right as I enter, meaning I'm not _technically_ late. That barely ever happens.

Miss Bustier just sighs and shakes her head before gesturing at my seat. "Sit on down, Marinette."

I nod, but as I try to go up to my seat past Nino, I manage to trip over his bag. I wave my arms around in a panic before slamming into the ground, thankful that I do not smack my face off the ground in the process after my less than graceful fall. Groaning in minor pain, I manage to push myself up and look to see that I have successfully managed to spill the contents of Nino's bag.

"I'm so sorry!" I apologize to a red-faced Nino, feeling absolutely horrid. He looks super embarrassed, which manages to make me feel even worse. "I'm super sorry. Let me help clean this up." I grab at some of the pencils and papers while on my hands and knees, handing them over to Nino as I do. "I'm really sorry."

"I-It's fine." Nino shoves the stuff into his bag again after setting it upright, and I wish I could cover my face in shame.

"I'm sorry." I hand him the last spilled pencil, hoping that my apologies will be accepted.

"Get to your seat now, Marinette." Miss Bustier comments, sounding only slightly annoyed.

I scramble up onto my feet and into my chair, giving an apologetic, "Sorry, Miss Bustier."

Shaking her head, our redheaded teacher turns back towards the board. "Now that we seem to have everyone's attention, we're going to dive into our lesson for today. We'll be continuing our unit on Greek Mythology, and as you all should remember me saying, we'll be having a test on this at the end of the week." Our whole class collectively groans, and she adds, "We'll also be starting a group project, so if you all will behave yourselves, you may get to pick your partners."

But of course our class can never pull that off, and so in the end we do not get to pick our partners. However, I don't mind the assigned ones too much. The project itself is simple enough. Miss Bustier just wants a drawn picture of a Greek god or goddess that we were assigned, as well as a brief one page paper on them that we can read aloud to the class. As for the partners, our teacher decided it was time to do some pairs that were a bit more unexpected, but I suppose it worked in my favor.

Chloe and Alya were paired and got Zeus, which is a disaster waiting to happen, although I suppose it's good that for once Miss Bustier didn't allow Chloe to bully her into letting her have Sabrina or Adrien. Speaking of which, Adrien was paired with Kim and got Apollo - the handsome boy with hair like the sun got the sun god, which seems too perfect - while Sabrina was paired with Rose and received Hera. Alix was paired with Max, which I suppose wasn't too unexpected, and they got Poseidon. Juleka was paired with Ivan, who I suppose lucked out the most since they are friends, and they received Hades. Then Nino was paired with Mylene and got Artemis, which might be awkward for him since I'm not sure I've ever actually seen them talk, although they must have had to at some point for class. That left me getting paired with Nathaniel, and while we haven't really talked before and he seems really flustered, I think he'll do a good job designing the poster we planned out for Aphrodite while I work on fleshing out our drafted paper.

We all moved seats once these were assigned so that we could work till the end of class, although we really didn't have too long to work by the time everyone got assigned to someone. Right as Nathaniel and I finished mapping out our epic project - marking the longest time I have ever had Nathaniel talk to me ever, which is saying a lot since he kept most of his thoughts short and to the point - the bell rang, which was a slight disappointment. That meant we couldn't _actually_ start working, and the project was due on Thursday.

However, there was a fairly simple solution, which I decided to offer to Nathaniel as we both packed up our parts of the project along with our stuff. "Can I have your number?"

"M-My number?" The redhead looked completely taken aback, face flushing to be practically the same color as his hair.

"Yes, your number. So that we can talk about the project?" I'm not sure why my question got the reaction it did, so I decide to just elaborate on it.

Nathaniel blinks at me, nodding, although I could swear that for a moment he looked almost disappointed. "Oh, right. Y-yeah! Can I give it to you at our next class?"

I nod and smile at him encouragingly. "Sounds like a plan!"

* * *

 _Jeremie's Point of View_

* * *

I push the door of the classroom open, glancing around as I do just to be sure that I wasn't mistaken about it being empty. Satisfied, I pull my cart of cleaning supplies in, only to nearly bump into Caline.

"Oh my, Jeremie, I'm so sorry!" Her green eyes widens as she apologies, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. "I didn't see you there."

"It's no problem, Caline." I say calmly, offering a small smile. "Janitors are supposed to be invisible, right?" That was the worst joke I have ever attempted to make, solidifying my thought from earlier today on why I should never attempt comedy.

Thankfully, the sweet teacher chuckles to make me feel better. "I guess. I'm going to grab a coffee before my next class, which means I'll be out of your way while you're cleaning. It's super kind of you to take the opportunity to look over the rooms not being used and give them a quick clean up during the day. It's definitely helped whenever I have had a messy class, and I know Ms. Mendeleiev appreciates it too." I nod my head in acknowledgment and appreciation for the compliments as she brushes past me and out the door. "Goodbye!"

After watching her go, my smile falls into it's normal frown as I turn my attention towards the room she has left behind. Miraculously, it seems quite clear of trash or other messes. I guess this must have been one of the class' better days. From the look of things, I'll just have to adjust some of the chairs. Depending on how much time I have, I might wash the currently empty but obviously used chalkboard so that it's clean and fresh for Caline, although I'd need to make sure it'd be dry in time for her next class. With how kind she is to me compared to so many others, it's only fair that I repay her in some regard.

As I move to push in one of the out of place chairs in the first row, I spot a snapped, green colored pencil laying on the ground. It probably was dropping during an art project of some kind or rolled out of a spilled bag, only to go unnoticed. Those events would easily have resulted in someone stepping on it and snapping it, which makes more sense than having it snap before it was dropped.

However, one would think that they would have heard the snap when they stepped on it, so why not pick it up and throw it away?

I suppose it's not my job to question _how_ these messes are made. It's my job to question how I'm supposed to fix or clean them. The solution in this case is quite easy. Getting down on my knees, I reach out and grab the pencil, only for my hand to bump something else. Confused, I reach again, this time actually making contact with something. I tug it towards me, only to be confused as I see what it actually is. It's some sort of black box with red symbols all over the cover of it. Honestly, it looks like a poorly made art project. And since this isn't the art room and Caline hasn't informed of any such project, which she normally does when we see each other so that I don't throw anything important away, this means that it probably isn't wanted.

Sure, maybe I should be putting it in the lost and found or something like that. But honestly, is anyone actually going to go hunt for an art project there? If they honestly wanted it so badly, they would have noticed it was missing. Shaking my head, I stand back up, and after going around the room and pushing in the last few chairs, I head towards the door. As I head out with my cart, I drop the weird box into the trash. It's not my problem if someone wanted it. Everyone in this school treats me like trash, and sometimes I wonder why I keep the job except for the fact that I need the money to pay the bills. I suppose seeing Caline Bustier helps. She's a sweetheart.

"I'll get that trashcan later. It's not full enough to bother with now." I mumble to myself as I exit, only for my eyes to land on what appears to be graffiti on the wall near the room. "Oh, come on, you lousy kids!"

Lifting one of my yellow buckets of somewhat dirty water - it has been used already today to clean - off the cart along with a rag, I make my way over to the words on the wall. If I'm not mistaken, it's some sort of reference to the two new heroes of Paris, Ladybug and Chat Noir. I don't bother to try and make out what it says though. It doesn't particularly matter, seeing as it'll be gone soon.

However, I realize that I forgot to grab any form of soap, and so quickly turn around to grab some off my cart only to slam right into someone, spilling the contents of the bucket onto them. "Watch where you're going!" I snap the words before even bothering to see who I am yelling them at.

"My shoes! My designer shoes!" The girl before me wails, staring down at her feet. "And my pants. Do you know how much these cost?" The girl's gaze turns upwards, blue eyes narrowed into a horrific scowl. "What do you think you're even doing?"

"I'm doing my job!" I snap, looking at the blonde girl before me. "What do you think _you_ are doing out of class?"

"Using the bathroom," She growls, "but not to get a _shower_. How dare you spill your dirty cleaning stuff on me!"

"You should have watched where you were going." I respond, glancing down at my bucket and then at the puddle that has made quite the presence around her feet. I'm going to have to mop that up, all because of this idiotic girl.

The girl gapes at me. "Watched where _I_ was going? Are you trying to imply that this is _my_ fault?" She says this as if that's absolutely impossible, only to scowl deeply again. "My father will hear about this!"

Oh, I've heard that phrase uttered by teachers in practical fear - or in mocking the original speaker - when they talk together. This must be the mayor's daughter. I pause for a moment, slightly concerned. Can she actually do anything to me? I can't imagine how she would. The mayor doesn't have _that_ much influence, does he?

Genuinely trying to figure out what she thinks her father can do, I ask, "What do you think your daddy dearest is going to do? Have me fired?"

"I'm going straight to Mr. Damocles. _He'll_ fire you, or else I'll have my daddy pull his funding from the school." She looks quite smug as she says it, as if daring me to do something about it. "And we'll use the money you would have made to pay to replace this outfit that you have ruined, although I doubt it will offset the cost at all. You can't be making all that much, especially when you go around spilling it on students like _me_ and not on students like stupid Dupain-Cheng."

"You can't have me fired." I stutter, the realization of why teachers speak of this girl with such fear finally dawning on me. "I need this job! I need the money. Please, Miss, I'll do anything you want. Just let me keep my job."

She looks down her nose at me, shaking her head. "Um, no. You're filthy. They need a new...whatever you are anyways." Then she stomps off in a huff.

Oh gosh, I'm going to be fired. I'm going to lose my job. As stupid as I might feel that it is, it's my only source of income besides some off the odd jobs I get. I'm going to be fired and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm not going to see Caline anymore. There's no way I can convince the mayor to keep me on, if the comments teachers make are any hint at it.

I stumble over to my cleaning cart, dropping the pretty much empty bucket from my hand as I try to balance on it, my other hand gripping a spray bottle that was previously laying on the top layer. Fired. I can't be fired! I need this job. Who does that brat think she is, acting like that? She needs to clean up her act, just like everyone else here. She's calling me filthy, but that smug brat is the real filthy one. Filthy rich, maybe, but also dirty in how she plays. A decent human being wouldn't do that over clothes that can easily be washed!

 _You're right. It's so horribly unfair, that the ones who play dirty always come out on top._ My head snaps up as a voice, sickeningly enticing as it agrees with me, enters my head. It's so nice to hear someone who understands. Who agrees. So much so that I don't even try to fight what comes next, don't even try to think why this would be happening. _Wouldn't it be nice to change that? To cleanse Paris from the filth covering it?_

" _Yes_." I hiss the words, grip tightening on the spray bottle clenched in my right hand as my left hand balls into a fist.

 _Forget playing janitor for this school. From now on, you'll be_ my _janitor. You can cleanse the world till it is clean and up to standard._ How lovely he makes it sound. To finally set things right. To cleanse the world till it is how I envision it: completely cleaned of those who act like the mayor's daughter. _And all you'll have to do for me is get two little things. Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. Then you can do as you please, with no one to stop you._ _  
_

I can see the corners of my lips curl into a devious smile in the reflection of my cart as I say, "Yes, Hawkmoth."

* * *

 _Alya's Point of View_

* * *

"Hopefully you all understood what we were just talking about, or else you won't understand anything about this experiment or how it works." My purple-haired science teacher continues to drone on and on about whatever we're doing today, but I could honestly care less due to how exhausted I am.

Science is such a boring class. If there was a way to get out of it, I would have done it long ago. Who needs science in their life anyways, especially when they've got the kwami of luck on their side? I mean honestly, what could possibly go wrong?

"Alya, are you even paying atten-" Ms. Mendeleiev begins to reprimand me, but the loud speakers cuts her off as it booms out.

"There is an akuma in the building." Mr. Damocles' voice floods the room. "Everyone please get to safety and find somewhere to hide."

That's what could go wrong apparently. I take it back. Out of all the excuses that could have happened, this is not the one that I expected or wanted. Despite it getting the job done, it isn't a good way to do so.

This pushes our teacher into action, flinging her arm towards the door as she practically shouts, "Go go go!" over the uproar that has begun.

As I scurry towards the door along with everyone else, determined to find a safe spot to transform, Adrien asks Nino as they run in front of me, "Got anything in your bag that would help us?"

He shakes his head, and I catch a glimpse of him flashing the blonde model an incredulous look. "No way, dude! all I've got are some pencils, papers, folders, and books."

I don't catch the rest of the conversation as I veer away from them, pushing through the crowd and into a now empty classroom. Once I am able to shut the door behind me, I practically rip my bag open, allowing Tikki to zip out.

"Ready, Tikki?" I ask, meeting the red bug's bright blue eyes. She looks like she might say something, only to give up and just give me a nod. Not concerned, I announce, "Tikki, spots on!"

The moment I've transformed, I throw the door back open, probably with more force than necessary. My eyes narrow ever so slightly as I gaze around the hallway, which has significantly cleared of students. There's no sign of the akuma. In fact, everything seems too quiet to be right. Where the heck is this thing? I want to get it handled as soon as possible.

Thankfully, I finally get a clue on where to go when a familiar nuisance cries, "Get away from me, you creep!"

But in the end, I find myself biting off more than I might be able to chew. The akuma doesn't actually look very odd compared to some of the others I've seen. The bald man seems to almost shine in the light from how clean he is, and his outfit is white without a single mark on it. The oddest thing about him is how he keeps pulling cleaning supplies from his pockets to fight with, although he never sets the spray bottle in his hand down, which means the akuma has to be in it.

To be honest, he hadn't seemed like too terrible of an akuma at first. He really did everyone a favor. As I arrived, he used one squirt from his spray bottle to freeze her and then used a rag he pulled from his pocket to wipe at where she was in his line of sight. The moment he did, she was gone. As far as I can grasp, this Janitor seemed to clean things that he felt were dirty. Chloe certainly played dirty, so I personally felt it was well-deserved. Would it really be so bad if we left it that way? It was obvious that Tikki would chew me out for an attitude like that later, especially because I don't know how many other students this guy got before finding Chloe.

However, then his attention turned to innocent Marinette, who was trying to help some of the younger students. Chloe was one thing, but I'd never seen the girl who sat next to me in class do anything malicious towards anyone, at least whenever I was paying attention. She was always reaching out to be friends with me, and if I weren't so busy all the time with hero work, I would be touched. However, a hero can't get too close to civilians.

Yet, her kindness was still the thing that spurred me to decide to act right then, especially when Marinette was frozen. I couldn't let him get the chance to wipe her out of existence. I threw my yoyo forward, watching it wrap around the arm with the spray bottle before yanking backwards. Sadly, it did not yank the bottle out of his hand like I was hoping.

However, it did grab the attention of the akuma, who spun to look at me as I tugged my yoyo back. "Hey, Suds! Over here!"

A smirk lit up his face as he gave the all too familiar demand. "Ladybug, give me your Miraculous!"

"No way!" I snapped back, warily watching as he began to point his spray bottle at me. "I won't let you erase anyone else from existence."

That got a chuckle out of the enemy. "Erase anyone else? Oh please, I'm not trying to erase anyone. I'm cleaning the world. That girl?" He pointed backwards to where Marinette was still frozen. "I wasn't going to freeze her. Just give her a little... _upgrade_. Someone kind enough to try and protect others deserves to look a little cleaner, don't you think?"

He threw his rag towards her, and I launched my yoyo to knock it out of the air as I snapped once more. "Stop!"

However, the yoyo was mistimed and missed, causing the rag to hit dead on and smack Marinette in the face. It seemed to wake her up, but not before a slight change could occur. The poor girl's signature hairstyle morphed into a bun, and instead of the outfit she was wearing, she was now dressed in a bright, white dress that reached her knees. To make matters worse, she was placed in heels, and out of everything I managed to notice about Marinette before this point - which wasn't much - I had managed to note her clumsiness. Heels would only add to this. Since the poor girl had been frozen in mid run, the moment she was in control again she tripped and landed on her face before scrambling to escape, looking quite disoriented due to the outfit change.

"What the heck are you doing?" I shouted at the akuma, not sure what that could have accomplished.

"Rewarding the clean and destroying the filth." He responded, which still didn't really give me much insight as to what he was doing, although I supposed it was probably better that I had no idea.

In the following battle, I managed to knock his spray bottle out of his grasp, but he was very diligent about keeping me away from it. He pulled a broom out of his pocket through some freak of nature, and was fairly skilled at batting me away with it. Which leaves us at the current point of time, with me blocking blows from it as I try to break through his defenses and destroy the akuma.

As I continue to fight him, I note that the way he is using the broom to fight is a lot like how Chat Noir uses his baton. Speaking of my dumb cat partner, where is he? We've been fighting long enough that he should know where the akuma is by now. He shows up late all the time, but this time really takes the cake. We're going to have to have a serious talk about this later.

His lateness only adds to my impatience to finish this janitor off, causing me to finally shout, "Lucky Charm!"

* * *

Thankfully, after a bit of work to try and figure out why I was given a frisbee instead of something more useful like pepper spray, I manage to break the spray bottle and de-evilize the akuma. Once that's done, I slip into an empty closet somehow unnoticed as everything fixes - several people materialize out of the corner of my eye as I enter, including Chloe - before utilizing my phone to call up my lazy partner, who didn't even bother to show up.

I only have a few minutes left till I detransform, so I'll have to be quick with my lecture and save the brunt of it for patrol later. At least, I'll try my best. Detransforming during my lecture would be a horrible decision.

However, the stupid cat doesn't pick up. Rage boils up within me as I glare at the dark screen, waiting, but the screen never lights up. The tone just stops without him picking up. What the heck is he thinking?

Scowling, I slam the screen shut and push further into the closet, calling upon my detransformation in a tired, angry voice. "Tikki, spots off." I don't even allow Tikki to fully orient herself before hissing, "Where the heck was Chat Noir during all of that?"

Tikki gently scolds me, shaking her head and ignoring my question. "Alya, you hesitated for far too long with the akuma and let Chloe get erased for no reason. I know about your personal feelings towards her, but you need to ignor-"

"I don't have time for that crap right now!" I growl, glaring at the red bug who is left to face all of my anger. "Noir didn't show. The stupid cat completely ditched his position. He didn't even bother to show up late! What kind of hero _does_ that?"

"He's not active." She says quietly, and I raise my eyebrows.

"Not active? Of course he's not active!" I force myself to quiet my voice again before someone hears me. "You're telling me that he didn't even bother to attempt to suit up!"

" _No._ " Her forcefulness takes me by surprise. "Alya, listen to me. The Black Cat Miraculous? It's not active. Not anymore, at least."

I blink, taken completely off guard as I whisper, "Not active? You mean-"

Tikki seems relieved that I'm finally listening to her. "He rejected the Black Cat Miraculous. Gave it up, I assume, but it hasn't been activated again."

"You mean to tell me," I say slowly, trying to make sure that I cover everything, "that Noir finally accepted that he was a mistake, so he didn't help out, but he also didn't even bother to leave me a replacement?" My voice hitches ever so slightly, and I force myself to take a deep breathe. "The stupid boy just descended from bad to worse. He didn't even bother to give a replacement!" I pause, contemplating that. "Well, that will at least keep anyone from getting in my way. I don't want to have to bother with another incompetent sidekick."

"Alya!" My blue-eyed kwami reprimands. "You pushed your own _partner_ \- not a sidekick - away! No matter what you might say or think, he was given the ring for a reason. He was chosen. Despite your feelings, even if the stuff about him not taking it as seriously could be well founded, he _was_ meant to be Chat Noir."

"No, I don't have time for another one of your lectures right now. I have to go to class to find out if the day is continuing or if I can go home." I shake my head.

"If you would just _listen_ -" She protests, but I shake my head.

Apparently realizing that it's of no use right now - even though I know she'll never budge, I manage to hope that the stubborn bug might even have realized that I am right and decided to give up completely - the kwami flies into my pocket as I push the door of the closet open. Glancing around, I see that there is no one to be found, which could be a good sign since it could be mean everyone is gone. However, it could _also_ mean that everyone is back in class, which means I could get in trouble.

Let's hope that it's the former and not the latter.

Still, it's probably best that I get to the classroom to find out. If they want to know why I didn't leave yet, I'll just explain that I didn't know the fighting stopped because it was silent on my hiding spot. Could that cover me for if I'm late? Probably not. I'll just use the excuse of the akuma erasing me. That should work, right?

Opening the classroom door, I see that I'll get to put that to the test when the faces of my classmates, looking quite shocked, land on me. I freeze, taking my eyes off them and istead shifting to look at Ms. Mendeleiev, who glares down at me.

"And what would you like to say about being late, Alya?" Having our teacher loom over me makes her even more frightening than usual, especially to my tired eyes.

"I was cleaned by the akuma?" Gosh, it sounds even more pathetic and see-through when it comes out like a question. She'll never believe me!

She sniffs and gestures to a certain pain in the neck, Chloe, who smirks at me from her seat. "Then why did Miss Bourgeois and the other 'cleaned' students show up earlier?" I open my mouth to try and come up with an excuse, but she doesn't let me. "Sit down, Alya. You'll be attending detention with Miss Bustier after school, understood?"

"Understood." I mumble, moving to sit down beside a concerned Marinette and proceed to ignore her as I think about how much worse Ms. Mendeleiev's wrath will be if I accidentally fall asleep.

* * *

 _Marinette's Point of View_

* * *

"Marinette, you've got about five minutes left of detention." Miss Bustier informs me from her desk. "I know I can trust you to be honest and stay here for that, and I have something very important to attend to. My father has fallen ill. Stay here for the end of your detention and then you can go, okay?"

I nod, but before I can ask why she didn't tell Alya has well, she rushes from the room. This must be really important and concerning for her to just leave like this. I hope her father is okay. Staring at the door she just exited from, I contemplate whether or not I can talk. Detention is supposed to be silent. That's obvious. However, Miss Bustier basically said I did not deserve to be in detention. I'm only here because of Chloe. She can't get mad at me for talking, especially if she is not here.

Setting the pencil in my hand down, I turn to look to Alya, who is sitting next to me. This could actually be a really good opportunity! Maybe this time she'll be more open to letting me befriend her.

However, when I look at her, I have to stifle a sigh. Poor Alya has seemed so tired lately, and apparently she has decided to take an opportunity to catch up on sleep now. I suppose that is an effective way to utilize detention. It would be amusing if I weren't so bored. However, I'll leave her be. It would not be fair to take this away from her for my own sake. She's a super hero, after all. She deserves this break.

I turn my attention back to what I was doing before Miss Bustier left. It's a note that I've been working on to give to Adrien, and I think it might finally be finished. The real question is whether or not I can work up the guts to send it to him. It's terrifying to think of giving it to him. What if he rejects me? I can barley talk to him as it is, but I don't want to lose our friendship. What if he never wants anything to do with me again? I could blow everything if I do this.

Taking a deep breath, I decide to read it out loud to see if that helps. "'Dear Adrien,'" I pause right there, shaking my head. "No no, that will never work. That sounds so weird and stiff." Picking up my pencil, I erase the 'dear' from the front. "'Adrien.'" I nod my approval as I say it. "Much better."

Now, time to actually read it out loud and see how it sounds.

* * *

 _Adrien,_

 _I wish I could tell you this in person. However, as I'm sure you have noticed, I can't even form a coherent sentence around you, let alone have a full conversation. That's why I thought sending you this note would be better._

 _I'm beating around the bush, so I'll get straight to the point. I have a huge crush on you. I've had one since you offered me your umbrella when you first came to our school. You're an awesome friend, and so even if you don't feel the same way, I don't want to lose that. But I had to tell you at some point._

 _Marinette_

* * *

"Oh gosh, I can never send that!" I say in dismay, crumpling the note up into a ball in my hands after I finish reading it aloud. "That's just asking for me to get rejected. I'm pretty much admitting defeat by sending this." I press my face into my hands, smashing it against the note in the process. "Why is it so hard to talk to him without making a fool of myself?"

"And that's a rap." My gaze snaps upwards as a voice that I shouldn't be hearing speaks, and to my utter dismay Chloe stares back at me from the door with a smug smile. Beside her, Sabrina smarks and dangles a phone out in front of her. They aren't too far, so I can make out that the screen is showing a recording of me reading my letter aloud.

"Hey!" I exclaim, leaping from my seat and ignoring the fact that Alya is asleep. In fact, if she woke up right now, that would be awesome. She could give me some help. However, it appears that she's in a deep sleep, because she doesn't seem disturbed in the slightest. "What the heck, Chloe?"

As fast as I can, I move to the aisle and make a dive for the phone, but even if the distance was closer I still would have missed. Sabrina and Chloe both move, even though I can't possibly reach them. My clumsiness only adds to this, and I end up sprawled on the floor.

"Tsk tsk." Chloe says, shaking a finger at me. "We're in a _school_ , Maritrash, and rough housing is not allowed."

Ignoring her mocking, I try to dive for Sabrina again, but fall once more. This time, however, I trip over the trash and end up spilling it exactly where I land. My stomach hits something incredibly hard - much harder than what I expected to land on in a trash can filled with wrappers, papers, and the like - as I groan pathetically. Times like these just continue to reinforce my decision to give up the Ladybug Miraculous, but at the same time, I miss that feeling I had when I thought I'd defeated that first akuma with Chat. There's a part of me that would give an arm and a leg to do that again, even if I don't deserve it for any reason. After all,, I'm the last girl who should be a hero.

Chloe's awful laugh brings me back out of my thoughts, and I look up to see her staking down at me as she tosses a crumpled paper ball over to Sabrina. "And now we also have the note itself. Even better."

This is maddening for so many reasons, but I'm also incredibly confused. " _Why_ , Chloe?" She blinks, looking taken aback by my question, so I persist. "Why videotape that? Why would you do this to me?"

She laughs, seeming amused, and I realize that her surprise had nothing to do with realizing she had no real motives, like I hoped. "Because you've been a thorn in my side for far too long, Dupain-Cheng. Not to mention you have a crush on _my_ Adrikins, which I simply can't allow. This," She gestures to the phone and note in Sabrina's hands, "guarantees that I have control of the situation."

"You're blackmailing me?" I ask, not even sure how to respond to that news.

Chloe nods. "Now you're catching on." The smirk that she's wearing is quite infuriating. "If you even _try_ to tell anyone about this, the video and note will be sent out to _at least_ our entire school, as well Gabriel Agreste himself. That's just if I can't get access to other outlets to release it on. Then everyone will know, if they don't already." My blood runs cold as my heart begins to pound at the mere thought. What did I do to deserve this? Why do I have such bad luck? "And if you don't do as I say, well, you'll have the same problem. Right, Sabrina?"

Sabrina giggles from beside her, nodding her assent. "What do you think of that, Marinette?"

"I think that it and you two are crap." I snap, but my blonde nemesis since childhood - gosh, I never would have expected to view anyone like that - just arches an eyebrow.

"Well, if you _want_ everyone to know about your hopeless crush..." She trails off, glancing at me. "That could be arranged."

"No!" Despite how sick it makes me to agree, I can't possibly allow her to send that out to everyone, especially Adrien. That can't be how he finds out I have a crush on him. "No, I won't tell. I'll do whatever you want,Chloe, but please. Please don't show anyone."

She cackles, seeming quite pleased with herself. There are many words I'd like to call her, but I refuse to lower myself to that level because of Chloe. I will keep some aspect of my self-imposed morales in order to keep at least an aspect of my dignity. For now, I'll just stick with calling her a brat.

She steps towards the door, motioning for Sabrina to come along. "Come to my daddy's hotel by 6:00 pm and we'll lay down some ground rules of what _you_ need to do to keep your precious secret a secret."

Then they stroll out, letting the door slam shut behind them as I let out a loud groan. "I hate my life." What am I, cursed?

There isn't much Alya can do for me now that those two are gone, so I decide to just be quiet to avoid waking her up. We aren't really friends, so I guess she wouldn't care beyond having her fanatic sense of justice and disturbing hate for Chloe. I don't want her to do anything about it as Ladybug, and besides, Chloe said I can't tell anyone. No matter how much I consider peeking into Alya's bag to ask Tikki for some sort of advice. Despite giving her up so quickly, I will admit that she was a sweetheart. She probably would be able to offer me some sort of advice in this situation, but she isn't mine to ask.

Slowly, I pick myself up out of the trash, and get my first glimpse at what I managed to land on in my fall. It's a black box, one that brings a rush of emotions about in my head. There's no way that this can be here in the trash. It shouldn't be possible. Yet there it is, its red symbols staring back at me almost tauntingly. I've seen them what feels like an eternity ago, whenever I briefly posed the Ladybug Miraculous. But Alya was wearing the earrings, so this can't be hers, unless she threw away the box they came in. But why throw it away now? Why not do it immediately?

The answer nags in the back of my mind, evidence stacking up quickly. Yet the very idea of accepting it as a reality makes me sick. One of the duo was mysteriously lacking from the akuma fight today, which has never happen before, and it wasn't Ladybug. Sure, they could have gotten erased, but Hawkmoth wouldn't have wanted that. It wouldn't make sense. One of the duo has been seeming to get more and more crap, which all seemed undeserved before now, from the public. It's certainly not the adored Ladybug. Yet it doesn't make sense, nor does it add up with the Chat Noir I know. So this can't be his, can it?

Well, either way, I can't check this here. Alya could wake up or Tikki could see, and those are just the two obvious scenarios. Besides, do I want anyone to be here while I try to calm my heart that has suddenly begun to pound inside my chest in anticipation? Why am I hoping so badly that there is a Miraculous inside? I gave the hero life up. I don't deserve it. Yet I crave it so badly. If it is another Miraculous, is it possible that it's a sign? A sign that I'm meant to be a hero?

No, I can't convince myself of that, especially when I don't even know what is inside. I have to sort out my priorities.

Quickly I gather my stuff up, scribbling a note for the sleeping Alya to let her know that detention is over. There are technically a few minutes left, but now I smell like garbage and would like to just go. It has absolutely nothing to do with this box I found that weighs my pocket down even now as I rush home.

Rushing through the bakery door, I call to my parents, "I'm home!" Realizing I have to cover for when I have to go report to Chloe, I add, "I have to go work on a school project with a friend at 6:00, but I'll be in my room for now!" Then I hurry up to my room so that they can't ask me any questions.

Besides, I need to check out this Miraculous box, and I don't want my parents to walk in while I do.

Taking deep breathes, I seat myself in my desk chair and stare at the box again. Do I want there to be something inside? I gave up the Ladybug Miraculous for a reason. Why do I crave having another one? Do I deserve to have another one, if there is even one inside? The only Miraculous that could even be inside is the Black Cat Miraculous. Would I wish for my would-be partner to give up his Miraculous so that I have a chance at being a hero again? That would be selfish. That would be proving that I don't deserve it.

As much as it pains a small part of me, I find myself hoping that it's empty. I don't deserve any power, and I certainly don't want Chat Noir to have followed my example.

Maybe it's another Miraculous, but then why was it in the trash? It all makes no sense. Chat Noir would never have just thrown away his Miraculous, and if he did, it makes no sense that it would end up in the trash in Miss Bustier's classroom. That would mean he went to my school. Besides, he always seemed to love being a hero the few times I saw him, even if Alya was tough on him. Even if he gave it up, he would have found a suitable replacement, right? He knows how badly Hawmoth wants the Miraculous. There's no way he would have thrown it away when that could have resulted in Hawkmoth easily snatching it up if he found it. That would be ridiculous. Besides, he must know how much Ladybug needs Chat Noir. Today was a rare stroke of luck that would have been over much sooner with Chat around.

It must be another Miraculous. I know there are others. After all, it wouldn't make sense to have two super strong ones and one weaker one. There are other heroes, so which Miraculous - if any - is in the box, and why was it in the trash?

Now I'm just stalling for time. I just have to open it and see what's inside. It's probably nothing. I might just be completely mistaking the resemblance between the boxes. It's time to face all of my feelings about this box head on. Taking yet another deep breath, I lift the lid up.

What stares back at me is a simple necklace. I blink in shock, examining it within. It's not like any of the Miraculous I have seen. It's really just a simple chain with a white circle hanging on it. If I look at it closely, I suppose I could say that it looks like the top of Chat Noir's ring, but I don't know what that looks like when he is detransformed. It probably changes color like the Ladybug earrings do.

Even though I try to be relieved, there's a sinking feeling within me. It's not a Miraculous. It's simply a necklace, probably a gift for someone, left within a box similar to the Miraculous ones. I'll take it to school tomorrow and drop it off at the lost and found so that its true owner can find it. There's probably someone desperate to find it, whether it be an heirloom or a gift for or from a loved one. I wouldn't want anyone to get akumatized for its disappearance.

As I move to shut the lid, someone says right by my ear, "Who the heck are you?" and I have to repress my terrified scream as I turn to find small green eyes staring back at me.

* * *

 **And there we have it! I'm so sorry that this update took me so long to get out and for the fact that I have been completely inactive while updating it. This story has my longer chapters (I aim to write at least 10,000 each time, unlike my others where I am for maybe 3,000 or 4,000). That results in it taking longer to write, even on a good day when I can pound it all out, and halts any progress on other stories. So my apologies that I've simply disappeared! I'm back now though and ready to get on updating several of my stories. cx Not to mention perhaps writing a Nathaniel X Marinette one-shot? We'll see about that last part though. Feel free to skip through all the stuff below here, as I offer my typical recap questions, some explanations for stuff, a question for you guys to help me with for this story, and my response to your reviews. c; I won't know if you skip, and if won't offend me if you do.**

 **Anyways, what did you guys think of that whole chapter? Was it good? Bad? What did you think of Adrien's last conversation with Plagg? How do you think that will impact our camembert-loving kwami? Were you expecting Adrien to try and give the Miraculous to Nino next? As for Nino's reaction to Marinette helping him after she tripped and spilled his bag, I promise that will come into play very soon. Maybe you guys can guess why? How about Alya's reaction to Chat being gone? Do you think she'll be upset by this later, or no? Do you think Marinette should have decided to give Adrien her note? What about Chloe announcing that she would use that as blackmail? What do you think she'll be having Marinette do? I promise we'll see more of that at least in the next chapter.**

 **What about Marinette finding the Miraculous?** **Is the new appearance for it okay? I felt that a necklace made more sense than the ring for Marinette, especially as it will explain why Adrien won't know who the new Chat Noir is. I'm not sure if the Miraculous can change in the cannon, but I feel in this case it was fair. This will probably play in again later, so if that bothers you, you will probably either want to become okay with or stop reading now. Do you think Marinette will be open to keeping the Miraulous right away, or will Plagg have to do some convincing? Do you think she'll be ready to jump right in? How do you think Plagg's first conversation with her will go? And how do you think Master Fu will handle another Miraculous being in the wrong hands? Let me know in a review!**

 **Speaking of reviews, if you leave a review, I also would love to have your opinion on what Marinette's super hero name should be! On the one hand, she could keep the name Chat Noir (I suppose it would be Noire since she is a girl, right?) as a sort of salute to the Black Cat before her who she really appreciates, although there are other ways to honor him and her thoughts of him might not be as high now that she might think he threw the Miraculous away. Or, she could choose a new name to mark the end of an era, leave Chat Noir as his own unique entity, and find another way to possibly make salutes to the one she's succeeding (with cat puns, perhaps?). Marinette might also appreciate making herself her own entity, because while Alya loved the Ladybug she barely met and was also the one who technically gave her her name, it might just make Marinette feel left in another's shadow. What do you guys think? If she were to take on a new name, I'm thinking of doing one that is very commonly given to an akumatized Marinette, if that gives you any hints. If you guys do vote for a new name, then I'll explain my reasoning for that once she makes it her official name.**

 **Also, before you guys going leaving a review about how trashy this akuma was, I want to apologize. That's the first time I've written an akuma from my own head (not counting Chat Blanc, but he's practically fan cannon at this time and there's a lot to base writing him off of), and everything I did with him seemed too cheesy. He wasn't meant to be a control focus, and it was hard to figure out how to write him, especially because he felt as trashy as the stuff he was trying to clean. I decided to leave out as much as possible since it was so idiotic when I first wrote it and instead tried to stick with only what was completely necessary. However, it was needed to give further explanation on how the Miraculous ended up in the trash and let Alya know Chat was gone.**

 **Before I sign off, let me respond to your reviews.** **Thank you so much for the support you have given me through those, follows, and favorites! They make my day when I get the emails alerting me that you guys have done so, and definitely inspire me to get myself into gear and finish the next update. So thank you guys so much! If it weren't for you, this story wouldn't be happening, because** **I wouldn't be writing for anyone. c: So this story is happening because of you just as much as it is happening because of me.**

 **RapidSammi : Alya is supposed to come across as rather unlikeable. The story is going to be highlighting some of the characteristics of our main characters that are not quite healthy. Showing all of the imbalances. c;**

 **code R.R : I'm glad you can see the imbalance, and that you can see both sides of the coin on Chat's reception. I'm glad Copycat was good! And you definitely understand Alya down to a T. I'm super happy that you see Adrien has a point with how this universe has turned. I'm sure Adrien talking to Plagg didn't go the way expected, but I hope it was a good twist! And as for how Mari gets the Miraculous, the way you thought of it was the way my original plan was going to write it, but then I decided that a few more bumps could be added. cx Hopefully you enjoyed it! We will definitely be seeing Adrien's reactions to having a new cat in town, no worries. And no need to apologize for the long review! It's awesome to hear that you thought my chapter deserved it. c: Thank you! Hopefully the wait wasn't too painful, and hopefully this chapter was fulfilling enough to tide you over till next time. :D**

 **Guest 1 : I can definitely see where this idea is coming from. I think that since (spoiler for anyone not reading about the future seasons) Alya won't have such as big of a Miraculous in the show, as the Fox is not a major one, she'll hopefully be better. (end of spoiler) It will be good for her character growth! Although I will be interested to see if she becomes a pain in the neck or not.**

 **gleamqueen : Hopefully this chapter cleared things up, as well as that PM! My apologies for that. :c**

 **Life as a Siren : Aw, thanks! :D Hopefully any of my updates for stories you read in An Unfortunate Fairytale will tide you over in between these updates. c: And thank you! I'm glad that you're having that reaction, although I swear we'll get some good moments from Alya too.  
**

 **Guest 2 : Sorry this update didn't come sooner! I'm glad that this story is likeable and cool, and I hope you continue to enjoy where I take it!**

 **Anyways, until next time! My apologies for such a long end section. o.o That was much longer than I originally intended!**

 **~ Dagger**


	4. News Flash

**Chapter Four - News Flash**

 **Man, I've been gone for a while. Sorry about that! Fanfiction has been giving me a lot of issues (it keeps deleting what I write, mainly when I try to save them for who knows why), and as I've said before, these are the longest chapters for me to write. But I'm back now and hopefully you will enjoy this chapter! :D Let's see how Plagg and Marinette encounter each other.**

* * *

 _Plagg's Point of View_

* * *

The blue-eyed bluenette before my eyes clamps a hand over her mouth, apparently trying to keep herself from screaming. I blink, looking at her as she stares back at me. She looks incredibly familiar, and I'd like to say that she's Marinette Dupain-Cheng from Adrien's class. However, I can't be sure. You can never really tell how much time has passed inside the Miraculous, and even though I'd like to say it was much shorter than normal, I honestly don't know. Not to mention Adrien did say he was going to pass the Miraculous to someone, so why would it be a long time? Still, I'm not sure Adrien really knows Marinette exists, so maybe this is all wrong.

My attention focuses back in on the girl before me when she lets out a muffled, "Oh my gosh." The reaction is certainly much more mild than most people's.

I fold my arms and narrow my eyes, shaking my head and deciding to forget my earlier question for now. "Nevermind, you're obviously gonna be shell-shocked for a while. Nice to meet you. I'm Plagg, the kwami of chaos, destruction, and bad luck. You're apparently the new wielder of my Miraculous that my last kitten chose for me," Hopefully this girl actually is Marinette and from the same time as my kitten, so that I'm not lying, "So congrats on receiving the Black Cat Miraculous. It's certainly an interesting one." That's certainly one way for me to put it. "Now, while you have an existential crisis, I'm gonna get something to eat. Do you have any camembert?" I pause for a moment, and then mumble, "Actually, forget the food part. I'm not hungry."

I try to mask the sadness that has unintentionally slipped into my voice, and if the girl does notice it, she doesn't actually acknowledge it. "Wait, what do you men that your kitten chose me for you?"

I hesitate. Am I wrong about this being Marinette? Does that mean that I've been in here for longer than I expected? There's no way that someone could look this much like Adrien's classmate. The mere thought seems absolutely ridiculous. So why is she asking like that? I decide to just play it off as confident. Fake it till you make it, right? I suppose that's been my motto ever since I can remember.

"My previous wielder. Called Chat Noir." There seems to be a glimmer of recognition in her eyes, which is a good sign. "We didn't part on great terms. No offense, but I was against him giving the Miraculous up." Marinette - I've decided I'm just going to address her as such in my head unless corrected to know that she's someone else - peers down at me in obvious surprise of the news. "But he chose to give it to someone more worthy, appreciated, and better for the job or some crap like that. And someone better for the partner that comes with the job." I unintentionally scowl, and Marinette looks incredibly confused. I suppose most people would be. They don't seem to see the side of Ladybug that my kitten had to see. "So, how did he do the deed? Did he slip the box in your bag? Send it as a package?"

"Plagg," She says, seeming to be walking on eggshells as she chooses her words. In fact, she looks quite nervous, "I'm not sure we should really be discussing that."

I can't imagine why, so I decide to just push at this point. "Oh, come on, it's fine. Tell me."

She takes a deep breath, and then delivers a statement that I'll never be able to unhear. "I found the box containing your Miraculous in the trash can in my room."

It feels as if all the air has been knocked out of my lungs. "He threw it away?" My heart shakes in my chest, and I try to stop my voice from quivering. "It was in the trash?" Poor Marinette nods her head, looking so distressed to be the one to deliver this news to me, and the little dignity Adrien still had in my mind crumbles away. "He said that Ladybug needed a Chat Noir. He knows why the Miraculous needs to be passed to someone right. Why would he throw it away?"

"I'm so sorry." She looks like she's about to burst into tears as she says the words, her voice much quieter than I thought.

I blink, confused by this sudden turn of events. "Why are you apologizing?" Is Marinette just a girl who is really able to sympathize with others? The reaction seems far too intense just for sympathizing. "It's not like you were involved."

Then she throws her face into her hands, and practically wails. "But I was! This is all my fault. If I stayed on as Ladybug, none of this would have happened. Now I've driven poor Chat to think he's not worthy."

And then everything clicks into place. That's why Marinette's reaction was not quite as shocked as others have been when I appeared. She'd already seen a kwami before. That's why all of this information seems to upset her so much. She was Chat's previous partner. That's why she seems so distressed to learn this news about Ladybug. She's the one who chose this new Ladybug to take her place.

I want to hate her for putting me and my kitten through this. However, I can't bring myself to do it. She obviously was incredibly nervous to wield the Ladybug Miraculous. To be honest, I can't blame her. Not everyone is enthusiastic about receiving a Miraculous. Not only that, but I know Tikki can be incredibly pushy, as she is not used to ever being rejected. Messing up the akuma must have been too distressing for Marinette, and she decided that she can't handle the role. I can't say that I necessarily blame her either. It caused quite the mess, and for someone who already didn't seem super confident in trying to be a heroine, that would have probably been the final blow. I certainly can't blame the new Ladybug's actions on her, and Adrien's actions are his own. He doesn't get a free pass, and he is the one who chose to let this new Ladybug win. He rewarded her behavior. Marinette isn't responsible for what either of those two have done.

"I don't blame you." I say finally, causing Marinette to peer out from behind her hands ever so slightly in what I might peg as surprised wonder. "Tikki can be rather overwhelming. She's used to her abilities being desirable and for everyone to be ready to take on the powers of Creation and Luck, and she can't see that some people aren't ready to just leap into that." As much as I love Tikki, she certainly has faults. All of us kwamis do. "As for my past kitten, he's lost all honor in my mind." I chuckle bitterly. "I guess we both have crappy luck."

"Guess we make quite the pair." Marinette says, giving me a rather shaky smile. She hesitates, and then tacks on, "I'm Marinette." That feels like a complete load off of my chest. I was correct after all. "Do you, um, have a signature food? I know Tikki liked cookies, especially the chocolate chip kind."

"She's always had a thing for cookies." I say, more to myself than anyone else.

I am angry with Tikki for sure, because I do partially blame her for the events that have transpired, but those little things bring back pleasant memories to myself. And even if I am angry with her, I think I'm okay with Marinette being my new wielder. As she said, we make quite the pair with our crappy luck. She seems sweet, and I'm certainly willing to take the time she needs to help her be willing and ready to take on the mantel of my Miraculous. I doubt she'll be ready right away, so we can take it slow. After all, I'm not Tikki, and I'm willing to talk Marinette through this, in order to make sure she doesn't reject this one as well.

Realizing I have yet to answer her question, I rush to do so. "Generally I eat camembert," My stomach sinks at the mere idea of eating it as Adrien's hate for it comes to the forefront of my mind, "but it's suddenly lost its appeal."

Marinette nods, frowning. "I know what you mean. Cookies don't taste nearly as good anymore." Then she gives me a smile. "But good thing for you that my family lives above our bakery."

"Your parents own a bakery?" My eyes widen at the idea of all of that food.

She grins, seeming excited. "Give me like five seconds to grab you a variety of stuff and I'll bring it all back up to you. You can test some stuff out and see what you like."

I bob my head, settling down on her desk. "And once you're back, you can put the Miraculous on." I figure my statement can help me see how she feels about that.

And it does exactly that as she nervously throws a response over her shoulder while climbing out of her room. "We can talk about that."

I nod, satisfied with that. I'm not going to push her to actually transform, but I do want her to wear the necklace. It's safer and allows her to bring it - and me - with her. Not only that, but it also opens the door for me to explain how being Chat Noir works to her. It will allow me to teach her a bit and express to her that I'm willing to wait till she's ready to activate the Miraculous. And even though I shouldn't feel this way, if it hinders Ladybug at all and teaches her a lesson, it's even more worth it.

Right on cue, Marinette comes back upstairs, a tray held in one hand. Not ready to push her just yet, I come floating over to examine what she has on her tray as she kicks the trapdoor shut behind her.

She looks up and must catch sight of my wide eyes as I take in all the food she has in front of us, because she giggles. "This isn't even all of the food we have available."

"What _are_ all of these?" I say, floating above the tray as I try to take in all the different foods.

"Well, those are croissants." She looks quite pleased to point everything out. "Those are cookies." She hesitates to say that one, and I'm guessing she's not super positive on her decision to bring those. Perhaps it was more of an instinctive thing, since she had Tikki who adored them. "Uh, moosetrack cookies, actually." They did look different than I expected. "That's a baguette, and over there is a crepe. And then if you look over there, you'll see a few macarons."

I let my eyes scan over the tray again before deciding to grab a green macaron first, and the moment I taste it my heart swells. "This is a macaron?"

Marinette nods, looking quite amused. "Yep, that's a macaron."

I launch myself at the two left on the tray and throw them into my mouth in quick succession. "Are there more?"

"I can get more, ya." The bluenette nods, and then raises her eyebrows. "Do you even want to try something else?"

I shake my head furiously. "No way. These are fantastic. This is all I want in life."

She giggles. "Okay, I can get you more and deliver these downstairs."

She goes scrambling downstairs again, and I settle back down to sit on the Miraculous box and wait. She comes up much quicker, and this time the tray is filled with many macarons. Before she's even all the way up I've flown over to the tray and begin to shovel some of the macarons into my mouth.

"Plagg!" Marinette scolds, although she doesn't sound nearly as tough enough to really stop me. "We need to save some of them for later."

"We can make more." I shrug, not really concerned as I continue to shove more in my mouth. "Do your parents make these?"

"I made these ones, actually." She responds, pulling the tray out of my reach and walking over to her desk where a bag sits - one I've seen her bring to school practically every day whenever I got to see her - and pours the few remaining into it. I try to rush over, but she quickly closes it. "No more right now."

I groan, displeased at this turn of events, but I ignore it. "Well if I can't eat more macarons, then let's talk about the Black Cat Miraculous."

I can see Marinette's face fall as she seems to close off a bit. "Plagg, I'm not sure I deserve the Miraculous. I wasn't meant to have it. Me even receiving it was a fluke. Besides, I gave up the Ladybug Miraculous. I don't deserve a second chance."

And the moment she says those words, it's like her thoughts are an open door. It's painfully obvious that she wants to take this chance to be a hero, no matter how much she tries to mask it. Masks don't work very well on me; I use them too much myself to fall for someone else's. She's even just said that she doesn't think she deserves this opportunity, especially since it was technically a mistake.

"Well forget fate and being meant to." I announce. "Nobody cares whether or not you were the one meant to receive the Miraculous. No one will even know." That's a minor lie. A few people will know beyond just her and me, but that's not important. "Don't you want to prove the idea that you don't deserve this opportunity wrong? Whether you were supposed to receive this Miraculous or not, it still ended up with you."

"I do want to prove myself." Marinette mumbles, shifting her weight anxiously and avoiding my gaze.

I decide she'll need a bit of pushing, and that's exactly what I give her. "My last kitten, Chat Noir, gave up because he was vain. He wanted appreciation and was upset he wasn't getting it. He was saving Paris for all the wrong reasons. You can right that." Seeing that she still doesn't seem too convinced, I add, "He thought you didn't deserve a Miraculous again because you gave it up." Actually, it was more like he said that our new Ladybug didn't deserve to have her Miraculous ripped away from her and given back to someone who passed the opportunity up, but that's not important. "Don't you want to prove him wrong?"

"But what if I fail again like I did with Stoneheart?" She asks, lifting her eyes to meet mine, and I can tell that I've almost won her over. There's a fire in hr eyes from my last comment, because apparently I've pushed the right buttons. "I want to prove that I can be a hero, Plagg. I want to save Paris again, but I'm so darn scared."

"Good thing you'll be working with a partner who is rather experienced now." I say in response, floating up to her face. This is perhaps the most encouraging I've been for a while, so I hope she doesn't expect it too much after this point. Between her and my last encounter with Adrien, I can't even be my normal, sarcastic, annoying self. "Besides, you aren't in charge of akumas now. The Black Cat holder is meant to protect Ladybug as a partner. You already are aware of the baton that comes with the job, and you also have the keen hearing of a cat and night vision. You also have the powers of destruction, and the one I'm going to make you aware of is-"

"Cataclysm?" She supplies, raising an eyebrow. "I have paid attention to the duo of Ladybug and Chat Noir as they saved Paris. It works like Lucky Charm with the five minute time limit and one-time use per transformation, and it allows you to destroy one thing that you touch."

I nod, smirking despite myself. "Good job, young kitten. Now, as for transforming into the Black Cat, you use this phrase: 'claws out.' To detransform, you say-"

She cuts me off again, looking amused. "'Claws in?' It's fairly self-explanatory. It works like Tikki's did too."

"All the Miraculous have very similar set ups." I say, pleased that she seems open to this.

"Do all Black Cats call themselves Chat Noir?" She asks next, fingering the necklace in the box as her gaze slips from mine again. "I mean I guess the girls probably switch to Chatte Noire, but that's beyond the point."

I shake my head. "No, each Black Cat takes their own name. They've been all throughout different cultures and times. You could be whatever name you want to fashion for yourself. Or Chatte Noire, if that's what you want."

She pauses, seeming contemplative, but then a grin takes her face. "How does Miss Fortune sound?"

I nod my approval. "I like it. Fits well with the whole Black Cat attitude."

"You mean cat-itude." Marinette gives me the smallest smirk.

I expect my heart to shatter upon hearing the pun after all the puns Adrien liked to crack, but it doesn't. I intend to keep it that way. I refuse to let Adrien ruin my relationship with this girl.

"That one was okay." I admit begrudgingly, not wanting to encourage her by letting her know that I do appreciate the puns.

"I know, they're quite mew-volous." She stinks her tongue out at the scowl that takes my face. However, her face falls when her gaze lands on her computer. "Crap. It's 5:30."

"Indeed it is." I say carefully, a bit confused by this sudden turn. "What appears to be the problem?"

The frustration on Marinette's face is as plain as day. "Chloe," I cringe at the mere mention of her name, but Marinette doesn't notice. Gosh, I hated that girl. I will never understand why Adrien stayed friends with her, "has blackmailed me with a video recording of me trying to proofread a love confession I was writing, and has also swiped the actual letter."

That gives me a start. "A love confession? To who?"

"Adrien Agreste." She mumbles the name, but I still hear it loud and clear.

She has a crush on my last kitten? That's no good. He's a mess, and not worth her time. I might have been singing a different tune had I known this days ago, especially knowing that he liked her as Ladybug, but now? There's no way I'm going to let him crush her like he crushes every other good thing.

And who even cares about being subtle? I throw that idea out the window as I announce, "Well, there's a simple solution. Get over Adrien Agreste, and then she has no blackmail on you."

The bluenette blanches, looking at me in shock. "Get over Adrien Agreste? I can't just 'get over' Adrien Agreste! He's sweet, kind, handsome, wonderful, and..." She trails off with a dreamy sigh.

I shake my head. "You think much more highly of him then you ought to."

"Why do you say that?" She says, folding her arms and pouting. Perhaps talking badly about her crush wasn't the way to go, but I can't help it. I can't forgive Adrien for the mistakes he's made, and I refuse to let Marinette get tied up in that. "How do you even know him?"

"He's a model I've heard of, and you know celebrities. They're all terrible people. They may pretend to be otherwise, but they'll cheat you and play you. Don't ever trust them." I lock eyes with her, and she actually seems startled by the fierceness in my voice.

Yet she responds just as fiercely to say, "You're wrong. Adrien is different."

"Just trying to help, kiddo." I respond, holding my paws up in surrender. "Now, you have a meeting with Chloe to go to?"

"Yes." Marinette nods, face falling back into a rather sad look as she grabs her bag and moves to go down the trapdoor.

"Wait!" I barely stop her in time as she turns to look back, obviously confused. "What about your necklace?"

"You're right! Gah, I'm so sorry, Plagg. I'm so forgetful." Marinette comes scrambling back up, grabbing the necklace and carefully clasping it around her neck. That action has a note of finality to it, as if ensuring that despite her nerves, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is ready to become the next Black Cat. She will succeed where Adrien didn't. I'm sure of it. Readjusting her bag strap, she adds, "Will you be coming along inside my bag? That's where Tikki generally liked to go."

I almost groan at the idea of hiding in a bag so soon, till I remember the macarons inside. "Since there are macarons inside, I suppose I'll be okay with that idea, although for future reference, I prefer jackets."

She giggles. "I'll keep that in mind, Bossy."

* * *

 _Master Fu's Point of View_

* * *

"And Plagg is definitely active again with another holder?" I ask Wayzz, distressed being the mildest way of describing my current emotions.

He sighs before responding, obviously exhausted from me asking for the hundredth time. "Yes, Master. He went completely inactive, like the Ladybug Miraculous, and then became active again with someone new."

So I have failed my task to keep the Black Cat Miraculous in Adrien Agreste's hands, like I aimed to do all along. "Wayzz, how have I managed to ruin this delicate scale so quickly?"

"Please don't blame yourself for these events, Master." Wayzz says, floating over to land on my shoulder. "We couldn't have known that he was so close to the breaking point."

"But if I had done more-" I begin to argue, trying to find some way that I could have fixed these things.

"There was nothing that you could have done. He wasn't even aware of your existence, so it wasn't as if he could have even sought your help." Wayzz's logic makes sense, but my mind still nags me for letting another Miraculous fall to the wrong hands.

I prepare to protest again, this time saying, "But if I had just chosen better with the Ladybug-"

"Master." The green turtle kwami cuts me off, frowning. "Why are you so quick to blame yourself? Marinette Dupain-Cheng was meant to receive the Ladybug Miraculous, as was Adrien Agreste meant to receive the Black Cat Miraculous. It is not your fault that they rejected them. If anything, you should be blaming Marinette for rejecting the Ladybug Miraculous and bringing aboard that new girl who has pushed Adrien away."

"No." I stop him before he can say any more on the matter. "It is not Marinette's fault. While Tikki's rejections are rather rare, they have happened before. She can be too focused on the tasks at hand. Do not blame Marinette for feeling overwhelmed and afraid. I would have felt the same had an akuma gotten loose on my first go."

"But you wouldn't have rejected the Miraculous." Wayzz argues.

I raise my eyebrows. "We don't know that, Wayzz. Do not judge the poor girl till you've walked a mile in their shoes."

Wayzz frowns, obviously not pleased by the idea but accepting it none the less. "Well then, blame Tikki and Plagg. Tikki didn't handle things properly and has been unable to reign this new Ladybug in. She has showed no ability to control her and let her push the Black Cat away. And Plagg was unable to stop his kitten from giving the Miraculous up, because I think it's safe to assume it wasn't flat out stolen. Adrien showed all the signs of attempting to pass it."

"It's not Plagg's fault. You know how hard his Miraculous is to carry; it's a terrible burden that is often rejected or ends in tragedy. It's not fair to try and pass any of this off as his fault." I sigh, attention turning to Tikki. "As for Tikki, I will admit that she has handled things poorly. But the situation cannot be passed off as her fault either. I should have been able to rectify it faster. Now the balance is completely destroyed."

"Well," Wayzz seems hesitant to speak, "you know that I can sense when a Miraculous is activated by a previous holder, correct?"

"Of course. I've been the wielder of the Turtle Miraculous and the Guardian long enough to grasp that, and even then my old mentor informed me of that." My eyes widen, realizing his line of thought. "Do you mean the Black Cat Miraculous has fallen into Marinette Dupain-Cheng's hands?"

Wayzz nods. "So it appears."

My heart sinks. "Wayzz, that Miraculous could tear her apart. Tikki's magic would wear off on the poor girl, giving her the luck that she needs. We've seen firsthand that she tends to have terrible luck at times, but has quite the optimistic outlook. Plagg's magic will wear her down, bringing even more bad luck upon her. It will break her at the very least."

"What can we do?" The kwami asks, actually seeming lost on how I'd like to fix things.

I consider the question. What _do_ I want to do? The balance has been completely lost. There is a reason Marinette Dupain-Cheng did not receive Plagg. He can help her grow, but not the same way Tikki can. He will certainly crush her, not intentionally, but just because of the load his Miraculous brings. Adrien was used to that load. He was supposed to be strong enough to carry it. Now he has given it up, Marinette is endangered in ways she can't imagine, and Ladybug thinks she is strong enough to carry the sun. Where have I gone wrong?

"Well, Wayzz, one thing is obvious." I say finally. "The other Miraculous will need given out."

"All of them?" My oldest friend seems quite surprised by this turn of events. "Who would we even give them too? You haven't watched enough people, and with the balances all wrong, how can we be certain they will even land in the right hands?"

"Yes, all of them." Does he understand the hidden meaning behind my words? "As for being certain they will land in the right hands, that will be your job."

That seems to cause everything to click into place for the green kwami. "Master, you can't possibly mean-"

I put a hand up to stop him from trying to sway me otherwise. "I am certain. Too many Miraculous have fallen into the wrong hands under my watch. You already were aware that I was contemplating giving out the Turtle Miraculous. We discussed it, but the Black Cat took priority. Now that it has fallen out of its proper holder's hands, I think it's time I pass my own on to someone better equipped to handle the situation."

"But he won't even know how the Miraculous works!" He argues, and I understand where he is coming from. "How can we entrust this situation to someone so unskilled?"

"He has spunk, Wayzz." I respond. "He is young and fresh."

Wayzz scowls. "Youth means a lack of wisdom. Fresh means lack of experience. And spunk will mean nothing for the Turtle Miraculous! The Turtle is supposed to be patient and willing to take things slow. I've seen nothing of that in this boy you are so insistent on watching."

I sigh. "The Miraculous aren't given to people who automatically fit those roles. They are supposed to help them grow in areas they need it. Tikki was to teach Marinette confidence in herself. Plagg was to teach Adrien freedom. You would be able to teach him patience."

He folds his arms, still displeased. "We don't know that he is the right choice. He hasn't even passed a test!"

I huff, disappointed that Wayzz won't trust my judgement. Then again, I suppose I can't blame him. "I haven't officially decided to give it over to him yet. You know that. I will continue to watch him to be sure, but I think you are misjudging him."

Wayzz shakes his head. "I think this is a horrible mistake to make, especially at this time."

"I will still be around to guide him, at least for a little while." I argue back, slightly frustrated at Wayzz's refusal to see reason.

"And what if he rejects the Turtle Miraculous?" Wayzz points out.

I frown. "I won't let that happen again, Wayzz. And you will be there to guide him."

He still scowls. "And what if it all goes wrong?"

"I'm doing my best to rectify the situation that has been created." I say, trying to reign in my temper and remain calm. "Don't you see that? I'm trying to fix the mess that has been made, especially since all of the Miraculous are in hands they don't belong to."

"I still think this is a large mistake." He argues. "Doing this might break everything we're trying to fix."

I sigh in defeat. "For now, Wayzz, we will just watch. But please, humor me and try to look at this boy with an open mind. I think he is exactly what we need to fix this situation and right the balance that has been wronged. So please, just humor me. I want to help our Ladybug and Black Cat as much as I hope you do, and this might just be the solution we're looking for."

"And what about testing him?" The kwami asks, obviously still not keen on this idea in any shape.

"We will get there." I respond. _I'm just not quite sure._

Hopefully fate will be kind and the opportunity will present itself.

* * *

 _Chloe's Point of View_

* * *

"Have you finished my homework yet, Sabrina?" I snap into my phone to the bumbling redhead.

"Not yet, Chloe, but it's almost done!" She responds, and I hear the sound of a pencil scribbling against paper.

"Well, hurry up with it. I'll call you once stupid Maritrash shows up and speaks with me, and I expect you to be done when I do." And with that huffed note, I hang up on her.

Sabrina has always been a faithful lackey. At first glance people think that it's obvious that she's never understood the concept of friendship, but I think people don't give her quite enough credit. She may play like she's obliviously tagging along with me because she thinks this how friendship works, but I think that if she were to see someone bigger and stronger come along, she's jump right onto their coattails and hang on for the ride. I'd be left in the dust. She milks our relationship for all it's worth, after all. I make her do stuff for me, and in return she gets free expensive things or at least the chance to borrow them, the ability to attend things with me, access to drama, and for the most part, safety from my wrath. She might make a lot of enemies by staying beside me, at least in our class, but she knows I'm more powerful than them. If for a moment she thought that side of the crowd was stronger, she'd ditch me in a heartbeat and go to playing the desperate girl who had no idea that's not a healthy friendship. Marinette Dupain-Cheng obviously thinks that's what Sabrina is like.

I hate to think of it, but despite all of that, Sabrina is one of the closest things that I have to a friend besides Adrien, not that I'd admit it to either of them. It's a miserable idea that that would be the case, since she obviously doesn't care, but I suppose that's how politics work. You make friends with the powerful, but you're never really friends, no matter how much she seems to think I buy her act.

The knock on the door jolts me from my thoughts, and I toss my phone onto the bed as I grumble, "Who is it?"

My butler answers, and I can assume that he's here to introduce my very special guest. "A girl named Marinette Dupain-Cheng is here to see you."

"Let her in." I respond, sitting down on my bed beside my phone and looking at my nails, deciding to give the impression that I couldn't care less about the girl entering.

I do have appearances to maintain, after all.

He pushes the door open, bowing once it is. It always makes me feel good to have the different servants and such that my daddy has hired bow before me like royalty. After all, with my daddy being the mayor of Paris, I practically am royalty. Behind my butler stumbles in none other than my bluenette classmate, someone who has caused me grief ever since I've met her. She's constantly trying to one up me. Everyone seems to adore her, and I can't imagine why. Our class certainly loves her. Even Adrien seems to like her, although certainly not the way she wishes he did.

Even though I know I have no reason to be, I can't help but feel slightly threatened by the girl. Not to mention jealous of the ease she seems to experience around others.

And when I feel threatened about something, I fix the situation by controlling it.

"You can go now." I say to my butler, waving my hand to send him out, and he acts with incredibly speed.

Not even waiting a moment, Marinette speaks up in obvious frustration. "Just cut straight to the chase, Chloe. Let's talk about whatever 'ground rules' you want to lay out so that I can go home."

It's satisfying to see that without even talking directly to her, I've already gotten under Marinette's skin. "Well, if you're so eager to start, I won't stop you." I pause, and then decide to irk her a bit more. "Would you like anything to eat before we discuss this?"

"No." Her response comes very quickly.

"Anything to drink?" I ask, purposefully aiming to be frustrating at this point.

"No, Chloe." She snaps back. "Just hang up the false niceties and tell me what stupid 'ground rules' you want to lay out."

"Alright, fine." I say, rolling my eyes. "Let's get straight to the most important rule. If you don't listen to me, or try to mention that I'm blackmailing you to anyone, I will send the video out to everyone."

Marinette huffs. "Fine, alright, I got that. What else?"

I smirk, leaning forward. "Second most important rule is that you can't have any unnecessary interactions with Adrien. He's mine."

This actually causes my blue-eyed classmate to blanch. "Wha-You can't do that!"

"Do you want the video to go out to everyone?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"No..." She admits begrudgingly.

My smirk widens. "That's what I thought. So, do you understand that rule?"

She slowly nods with a sad sigh. "Fine. I got it. No unnecessary interactions with Adrien. What else are you demanding?"

"I want to be in the loop. If anything happens of mildest importance, I want to be told." She doesn't seem to surprised or even bothered by this one.

"Okay, understood." She says, folding her arms. "Anything else?"

"Not as of right now. I think our first rule covers most everything." I grin at her.

Marinette rolls her eyes. "So am I free to go?"

I tap a finger against my chin. "Not just yet. I'm sure I can think of other things. I would've made you do my homework, but Sabrina is already doing that."

"You can't just make your friends do your homework!" Marinette exclaims. "Why do you treat her like that?"

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes again. "Oh please, you all act like she's such an idiot. Sabrina knows what she's doing."

Marinette folds her arms. "Whatever you say to get yourself to sleep at night, Chloe."

My eyes widen before narrowing into a scowl against my better judgement. I don't want to give myself wrinkles, but Marinette is really beginning to irk me. "Oh please, Maritrash. You don't have any idea of what's going on in this situation. I honestly suggest that you leave it be."

"Whatever." Marinette grumbles, folding her arms.

"So, let's get back to what I need you to do. I'm trying to figure out how an outfit and make up bit will work together. Mr. Agreste and my father have been talking and are going to send Adrien and I to an event together." I say, stroking my chin. "And even though you're not nearly as pretty as I am, I'm sure it could give me a general idea of how it'll look so I can see if any changes are necessary."

"You're making me _model_ for you?" Marinette says the statement like it's a completely ridiculous notion.

"Well duh." I respond, crossing my arms. "You better not ruin it. Normally it'd be against my better judgement to let you anywhere near it, but I really need to see how it looks, and like I said, you'll work, even if you won't nearly demonstrate how good it is on me." I hop to my feet and gesture for her to follow. "Follow me to my closet and we'll get this over with. Once I'm satisfied, you can go home."

My blue-headed childhood enemy sighs. "Fine. Let's just get this stupid crap over with so I can go home."

As we walk over, I decide to ask, "Where did you get the new necklace you're wearing?" I'm tempted to tell her to give it over to me.

I'm startled by her response. "My grandma gave it to me. Before she died."

"Oh." Is the only response I can manage.

And so as much as I want to take it from her to make her upset, I don't. I know how it feels to lose someone, and I know that if I lost something they gave me, I'd be miserable. And so as much as I'd love to make Marinette suffer that, I can't. Losing the brooch Miss Agreste gave me before she left us, for example, would kill me. And if I lost any of the heirlooms from my own mother, well, I'd be devastated. I can't bring myself to do that to Marinette, no matter how much I hate her.

* * *

 _Adrien's Point of View_

* * *

Out of the phone speaker Nino's voice rings out loud and clear. "Hey, dude. What's up?"

I roll my eyes at the casual greeting. "Oh, you know, just waiting for my best friend to show up."

"Gosh, dude, sorry I didn't tell you I got caught up on homework." My best friend says, and his apology sounds quite sincere.

Even if it didn't sound that way, I'd still forgive him. He's my best friend, after all, and I'm sure he doesn't mean any harm. "So, if you got caught up, are you not coming?"

I can almost hear him shaking his head as he gasps. "No way, I'm still coming, my dude. I wouldn't just ditch you. I'm almost to your house."

I breath a sigh of relief. "Great. See you then."

I hang up, and then hop off my bed. My hand moves to my finger, but the moment I do I realize that the ring I intended to fidget with is gone. I gave it up, one of the biggest reasons that I am waiting for Nino to come over today. Of course, another is the fact that my birthday is tomorrow, but that is beyond the point. I want to know if Nino got the ring and if he's interacted with Plagg at all yet. I'm hoping that his statement about getting 'caught up on homework' is a cover up. After all, I can't actually ask if he's seen the black cat kwami, but if he's wearing the ring, I'll know that everything has been set right and that Ladybug finally has the partner she needs. The partner I couldn't be. Hopefully Plagg will see that and forgive me, despite our last encounter. It was definitely a painful parting.

As I walk out the door to my room to head to the front desk, Nathalie stops me on the way, frowning. "Are you alright, Adrien?"

"I'm fine, Nathalie." I say smoothly, flashing her my model smile to set her at ease. "Why do you ask?"

"It just seems like something is missing. You look a little less, I dunno, cheery." She shakes her head and readjusts her glasses. "But I'm sorry, I'm prying. Just...keep your chin up, okay? Things will get better, whatever is wrong."

"Thanks, Nathalie." I appreciate her attempts to be comforting, but she has no idea what any of this is about, so there's not much she can do. "Nino will be coming over. I'm going to let him in, if that's alright."

Nathalie nods. "As long as your father is alright with it, I don't care.

I nod and make my way towards the door, deciding that if I don't actually say the words, it's not lying. _What my father doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, he can't be upset about Nino coming over. Nino is one of my only friends beyond Chloe._ I pause, considering my options for if he does get upset. If _anything, I'll just tell my father that he's helping me with my schoolwork. He can't get mad at me for keeping up my grades, can he?_

I reach the front desk just in time to hear Nino's voice pour through the speakers. "Hey dude, um, I'm hear to see Adrien?"

I push the speaker button and say with a wide grin, "Come on in, Nino."

He laughs. "You got it, dude!"

I push the button to temporarily open the gate before scurrying off to the front door, getting there just in time to open it for Nino. My best friend adjusts his orange cap on his head and then his glasses, glancing around my house.

"I'll never get over how huge this place is, my dude." Nino mumbles, and I just chuckle.

"Sure you will. It's super lifeless." I shrug my shoulders. "Not super awe-inspiring."

Nino gives me a serious look. "Dude, your bedroom alone is practically the size of at least half my house, if not the whole thing."

I roll my eyes. "You exaggerate far too much."

Nino rolls his eyes right back at me. "And you seem to be oblivious to just how rich you really are." Before I can try to argue any further, he gestures to the steps. "Speaking of your room though, shall we head on up there?"

"Sounds good." I give him a thumbs up, which he enthusiastically returns.

As we make our way on up the stairs, he asks one of the questions I was expecting. "So, you're turning fifteen tomorrow. What's your dad had to say about it?"

I raise an eyebrow at him. "What do you think?"

Nino whistles at that, adjusting his glasses again. "Wow, that bad, huh? Sorry, dude."

I shrug. "I didn't get my hopes too high on the matter. To be honest, I kind of expected that response."

"I'll talk to him tomorrow. Make him see reason." My best friend offers me a smile, but I shake my head.

"No, don't talk to him." I say firmly. "I appreciate the help, but it'll just make things worse."

Nino's shoulders slump. "Okay, dude. Sorry. I was just trying to help."

I take a deep breath, hoping to be able to express this correctly to my friend. Anime was not able to prepare me for dealing with real people. "Like I said, I appreciate it. And besides, at least I get to hang out with you."

He nods, although his spirits seem considerably dampened. "That's true. I am awesome."

I laugh, shaking my head. "More like you're ridiculous."

We make our way up to my room, mostly making meaningless small talk about the homework that kept him from getting here on time. Once inside, I shut the door behind the two of us and note that Nino has already taken his customary position on our couch.

As I walk over, Nino asks another question I expected earlier. "So, dude, what are we doing today?"

"I dunno. How about video games?" Nino isn't shooting me down just yet, so I add, "I have Ultimate Mecha Strike III."

That gets a groan out of him. "I know you do. You always beat me at it!"

I laugh, shaking my head. "Oh come on, that's not true."

"You sure?" He raises his eyebrows at me in question, tipping me off to his expected answer, and I helplessly shrug. "Dude, if they had a competition for video gaming, especially something like Ultimate Mecha Strike III, you would rock it."

"I've heard someone is actually trying to make that a thing." I grab the two remotes from beside my TV and toss one to Nino, who begrudgingly catches it.

"I'm only doing this because we're best buds and it's almost your birthday, okay?" Nino says, adjusting his grip on the remote and moving to a better playing position.

I laugh and roll my eyes as I sit down beside him, watching the TV power up in front of us. "Despite what you say, I think you enjoy the game."

He scoffs in response, adjusting his glasses and leaning forward. "Please, Adrien, I barely even understand the concept of it. I just hit buttons and hope it does something."

"Yet you wonder why I always beat you." I tease, getting a punch in the arm in response.

We get to the character selection screen, and my eyes linger on NAD03. On any normal occasion, I would use it, seeing as it's my favorite as well as the one I'm best at playing. However, after so recently giving up the Black Cat Miraculous and Plagg along with it, I can't bring myself to choose it. Instead I let my cursor land on LB-03.

"Woah, switching it up?" Nino asks, selecting 2TO, the character he claims that he is the best at getting lucky with. That logic makes absolutely no sense, but I let it slide since he's my best bud and he let's my own - sometimes weird - logic slide about things such as animes. "Should I be worried?"

"Nah, I just wanted a change of pace." I say with a shrug, pressing start before he can question me further.

The game begins, and for a few moments we're in silence, concentrating. Then, Nino asks a completely _unexpected_ question. "So, dude, you know Marinette?"

I nearly drop my remote over my shocked confusion about the question. Do I know Marinette? Of course I know Marinette. She's the blue-haired, aspiring fashion designer that sits behind me in class and can't seem to form coherent sentences around me. My last encounter with her as Chat Noir, when I whisked her away to a safe spot away from her house to make sure Copycat couldn't find her, echoes in my mind.

Realizing I still need to answer, I give a confused, "You mean our classmate, Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

Nino shifts awkwardly. "Right, that was a stupid question." I begin to get ready to prompt him to keep talking, but thankfully he does so before I have to. "I, well, have been thinking her a bit recently. Do you think it would be stupid if I asked her out?"

I blanch, completely blindsided by the question. "You wanna ask her out?"

"Ya?" He drops the remote on the table as I defeat him, turning to face me. "You think it's stupid, don't you?"

"Not that!" I say quickly, not wanting to offend him as I try to wrap my mind around his idea. "I'm just surprised. I, uh, didn't know you had feelings for her."

Nino rubs the back of his neck, frowning. "It's something that I've been thinking about recently

Something about the idea of Nino and Marinette together bugs me, but I can't identify the reason, and so I decide to just encourage him with it. "Well, why don't you ask her out then?"

Nino meets my gaze, looking incredibly nervous. "I'm not sure how?"

I snicker, getting a scowl, and manage to compose himself. "Sorry, I'm not trying to laugh at you." Taking a deep breath, I decide to make a suggestion, "What if you took her somewhere you know you're comfortable with? Luke, uh, the zoo maybe?"

"They are supposed to be getting a new panther soon. I could take her to see that..." He adjusts his hat, looking away from me again and mumbling, "But I can barely even manage to talk to her now."

"Well, I'll work with you on it." I respond, eager to shut this conversation down. This is super awkward for me, and I would rather wait a bit to discuss this. In an attempt to think of another thing to discuss, I glance at his hand, which is ringless. While I intend to ask with subtly, instead I ask with absolutely no tact, "Where's your ring?"

"What ring?" Nino asks, giving me the blank face I deserve to receive in response to my question.

Realizing how badly things are about to go for me, especially if he does have the ring somewhere and I just haven't seen it, I scramble to rectify the situation. "I left a ring in a box in your bag earlier. Didn't you see it?" Hopefully I can play it off as not actually mine. "I found its box in my room and it had a tag with your name on it."

He gives me a skeptical look. "There was no ring or box in my bag, sorry." Apparently my face must fall or something along those lines, because Nino adds, "I mean, you could always get me one." I nod and shrug, and he adds, "No offense, dude, but I don't even really like rings. That's more like your thing."

"Ya, you're right." I say with an awkward chuckle. "It's not important anyways." If only my friend knew.

Nino frowns, eyes focused on my hands, and I flinch. "Um, speaking of rings though, where's yours?"

I glance at my hand and shift awkwardly. "Well, um, I intended to pass it to you. I slipped it in your bag as a gift, but I guess somehow it went missing."

"Me? Really?" He looks doubtful of that. "Why aren't you concerned about losing it then?"

"I am, but I'm sure I can find it, and if you don't want it, I can always keep it." I say, hoping to play it off as no big deal.

It's at this point, while I try to pretend that this doesn't bother me and won't potentially have disastrous consequences, that the full effect of the ring being missing really hits me. The ring is missing. Somehow it got out of Nino's bag, and now who knows where it is? Is it in the school? Did someone pick it up? Where is Plagg now? Did Hawkmoth take the Miraculous? I failed to even pass the Miraculous properly. How lousy can I get? I suppose it's further confirmation that I was doing the right thing giving it up, but now I've messed everything up! Where is the camembert-obsessed kwami? I can feel how empty the room is without him, and while I hate to admit it, it hurts. The pain in my chest strengthens as our last conversation echoes in my ears. Gosh, that was the worst way to part terms with the little guy, and now I can never see him again to make things up. Does he hate me now? What have I done?

Before I can stop myself, I mumble, "I'm just worried about Plagg." And it's the truth. Despite everything else, I'm most concerned for where Plagg is and if he's being treated right.

For a moment, I think that Nino didn't hear me and almost breath a sigh of relief, but I apparently am counting my chickens before they hatch, as he then asks, "Who is Plagg?"

My heart freezes in my chest as I squirm and rack my brain for my excuse. How do I get myself out of this hole, or do I just spill?

* * *

 **I apologize for this chapter being shorter than normal! I was really struggling to add anything that wasn't just useless or felt forced and weird, and so I decided that I would rather have it be a bit shorter than have it be filled with useless stuff. However, I hope that you guys did enjoy this chapter anyways! I feel like the writing quality might have gone down a bit, so my apologies there as well.  
**

 **But what did you think of the chapter? Was it good? Bad? How do you feel about Plagg's conversation with Marinette? Are you guys pleased with the name Marinette has chosen? I thought Miss Fortune would be a fun one to use. c: How do you feel about Plagg taking on a new signature food? How about Master Fu's conversation with Wayzz? I'm assuming most of you will be guessing who he intends to pass it on to, but I'd love to see your guesses anyways. c: And how about Chloe and Marinette's encounter? Is there anything that you think is going to happen with this whole black mail train? I know a lot of fanfics portray Chloe as a bad guy, so I will promise that she's not going to be all bad, but I can't say anything else without getting too spoiler heavy. Sorry! :p And then what about Nino and Adrien's chat? I have tried my best to hint at a few different akumas and such that need to happen, so you may have caught on to a few. Off the top of my head I can say that there were three within that segment, but I may be forgetting one. What do you think of Nino's question about Marinette? How about Adrien's feelings on the matter? And how about Adrien's end game slip up? Trust me, we're far from seeing the end of that. :p Let me know your thoughts in a review!**

 **And of course, in typical Dagger-segue fashion, you guys will now get to see your reviews answered. c:**

 **decode9 : Agreed, Alya is an idiot, but she's bolstered by luck and enjoying the ego boost that power provides. Don't worry though, Marinette as the new Chat will certainly be a wild ride for our Ladyblogger.**

 **jwgriff81 : Thank you so much for the correction of it being Chatte Noire when feminine! I don't really know French, so while I do know Spanish and that it has a similar set up for feminine versus masculine, I wasn't sure how French worked. So thank you for that! As you can see, I decided enough people wanted a different name that I landed on using Miss Fortune, but I am very grateful for the correction. I definitely agree that too many people just fix the one that would be less important. c;**

 **Lokilust : Don't worry, we'll definitely see some Marinette growth. However, I can't guarantee anything about her bad luck... c;**

 **Guest 1 : There are a lot of possibilities! If I knew other languages beyond a tiny bit of Spanish (because the American school system has horrible systems for teaching languages -.-) I would totally have experimented with some names there, but I don't know them enough to not feel like that could potentially lead to me being offensive. c: Hopefully you like Miss Fortune though!**

 **code R.R : I'm glad it was heart wrenching! That's what I was aiming for. I adore Plagg and I know at least in this story I'm hoping to express how much he gets the short end of the stick, but we'll see more of that. c; But ya, we'll definitely get to see spiteful Plagg and Marinette will definitely have her perception of Alya shattered. And thank you for your compliments on Alya as well as the understanding on the weak akuma. And I'm glad you liked the bumps in the road! I figured our Black Cat Miraculous needed a bit more bad luck anyways. xD And ahh yes the balance will definitely be super awful. :p I'm excited to experiment with it more. That is the whole premises of the story, after all. xp And you guessed it right on the nose! Hopefully his reaction this chapter has kept in line with that. c: And thank you for your input on the name! As you can see, I've decided that I agree with you there.**

 **Kitty noire : Ya, Alya is kind of awful. I'll do my best to give her a chance to have a bit more positive light later. c: But she is meant to be a bit of a minor antagonist of sorts. As for Adrien getting a Miraculous, well, I'm going to keep my mouth zipped. I don't want to spoil anything about people getting Miraculous, but as Master Fu has hopefully made clear, the other Miraculous will get delved out. c: To whom is still under wraps, but feel free to make guesses as to who will get what!**

 **Guest 2 : Ding ding ding, give this one a prize! c; I agree, the name does fit quite nicely.**

 **Guest 3 : Indeed I am! Sorry this has taken so long. :c With all of my chapters getting deleted on me (as it turns out, one computer in my house in particular refuses to save anything, so I just can't write on it anymore, which is a shame since it was the one that was way nicer to write on), I was losing a lot of motivation to write. As I've said before, these chapters also take longer to write, and this one was just proving to be way harder than usual. I'm not sure why, maybe because the parts weren't nearly as fun to write and felt kind of awkward. :/ But it's here now! Hopefully you liked it. c:**

 **Make sure to favorite or follow if you want to keep tabs on this story. I promise I'll try and make the next update come in faster next time. c: See you next time, whatever story that might be on!**

 **~ Dagger**


	5. Bubbly Birthday

**Chapter Five - Bubbly Birthday**

 **Oh gosh, this update has taken way longer than I indented. Life has been absolutely awful for me recently, but I'm sorry for the delay and lack of attention I've given this story. I do have more time to write now that it is summer, but the computer I use has decided to delete whatever I try to write (and only that computer, but of course I don't have access to a different one), so I have to write on my iPad; that, of course, is a lot harder than a computer, especially since my Bluetooth keyboard broke. But enough about that! Let's get to the part - or, as my autocorrect would like to say, the party - you all are actually here for: the story. Enjoy! Sorry this chapter took so long, but these already take longer to write, which made it even longer than this update would have taken for a normal story.**

* * *

 _Nino's Point of View_

* * *

As I make my way from my house to Adrien's, I can't help my head from replaying the conversation I had with my best friend on Friday. Was that really only last night? It sounds crazy to even fathom that it could have been such a short time ago, but I also have basically done nothing but dwell on it for the last few hours. I can't help it; it's not every day you learn your best friend was at one point living a double life as a superhero of Paris.

Even now, I have to rub my forehead as I try to imagine Adrien as Chat Noir, leaping across the rooftops alongside Ladybug. It all seems so surreal, and of course I haven't been able to talk any more about it with him, since he lost his phone. It's left all sorts of nagging questions. How was he getting out of the house? Why didn't he tell me sooner? In the heat of the moment, I asked him about the thrills of it all. But now that I've had time to reflect, I'm kind of hurt. I could have helped him out, covered for him when necessary. Instead, he left me, his best friend, in the dark.

Still, I can understand why, especially when realizing that he didn't seem excited to tell me he'd been a superhero. In the movies, the hero always look invigorated when finally talking about what living as their secret identity is liked; Adrien just seemed tired, like it had been yet another burden on his back. Perhaps that's why he didn't want to tell me his secret, when he found no joy in it.

Even then, knowing his secret would have made hearing that he had tried to pass the mantle off to me a bit easier to swallow. Less of a punch to the gut, and more of a slap to the face. A gentle slap, that is. I could have helped him figure out a different course of action than giving up the mantle, especially seeing as he thought the best candidate was me. I'm not cut out for the hero life, so I could have made him see reason on keeping it, or at least helped him figure out a better new holder.

Of course, none of that's possible now that it's gone missing. Adrien seemed really freaked out once he finally came clean, explaining he'd left it in my bag for me to find. I searched at home for it, and now have to bear the news that I definitely don't have it. Anyone could have it, potentially even Hawkmoth, which I'm sure is the last thing Adrien wants to hear right now. He already is beating himself into a miserable pulp for failing to pass it on as it is. I cringe at the mere thought of having to add this to his load. Plagg, some strange creature called a kwami that comes with the ring, obviously meant a lot to him. I think that's the biggest reason for his distress over losing it.

So entrenched in my thoughts and the music playing through my headphones, it's my own fault when I walk right into an old man on the sidewalk. I barely manage to make things slightly better by grabbing his hand and pulling him firmly back onto his feet, but I still feel awful.

Bracing myself for the speech about kids these days, I slide my headphones off and begin to apologize. "Dude, I mean, sir, I'm so sorry, I should have been looking where I was going. Completely my fault. Are you okay?"

The man chuckles, shaking his head, and for a moment I'm surprised that he doesn't start beating me with his walking stick right then and there. But one look at his rad shirt - if I'm not mistaken, it's a red Hawaiian shirt - and I realize that I shouldn't have been worried to start with.

"It's alright." The man says, waving his hand to seemingly swat away my apology. "It's my fault too." Under his breath, I could swear he mutters, "See? What a nice boy."

"Wow, you're really chill about this," I don't manage to catch myself in time, but cringe as I say it nonetheless, "Dude."

He chuckles, and I suddenly realize how grateful I am that the man was good-natured as he begins to shuffle away again, calling over his shoulder as he goes, "Have a good day, Nino."

"Thanks, my du..." I trail off, coming to the awkward realization that I never told him my name.

"Master Fu!" He calls back, sounding quite pleased.

I want to respond, to explain I didn't trail off because I didn't know who to thank but because I have no idea how he knew my name. However, he's too far away for me to keep shouting to him. For a moment, I entertain the idea of chasing after him, but decide against it. He's going in the opposite direction of Adrien's house, and besides, I have the feeling chasing down an old man in public will not gain me any favor with anyone around us.

So, heaving a sigh and chocking it up to luck on the old man's part, I turn in the opposite direction of the strange Master Fu and walk towards Adrien's house, still left wondering as to how I can explain anything about the ring to him on his birthday. I'm not looking forward to depressing him even further on what should be a good day when he already is sad enough.

In fact, I'm so distracted pondering the odd encounter that I barely even realize I've reached the Agreste residence. Gulping, I stand through the familiar security process and force myself to focus as the buzz rings out to signify I'm allowed in.

"Nino!" Adrien says, hair looking far more wild than usual as he rushes towards me. I'm surprised his father even allows him to be seen like this. "How are you?"

I can see what he's really asking. _Did you find the ring? Did you find Plagg?_

I shake my head to answer his real question as I say, "I'm alright, dude. How are you?"

He visibly deflates before giving a dejected, "Tired. Very tired."

"I'm sorry." I know I'm apologizing for both his answer and my own news as I set a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah," The voice of Mr. Agreste draws my attention to the stairs, where Adrien's cold father stares down at us, "Mr. Lahiffe. How nice to see you."

I bite back my sarcastic response, instead stepping away from Adrien and towards the stairs. "Mr. Agreste, you _have_ to let Adrien have a birthday party."

" _Have_ to?" Mr. Agreste raises an eyebrow, which just eggs me on even further.

"Yes, my dude! It's not fair for him to be stuck inside and unable to celebrate with friends."

"No."

I blink, taken aback. "No?"

"No, Mr. Lahiffe."

"But Mr. Agreste-"

"Nino, just drop it." Adrien tries to pull me backwards, but I can't stop now.

"This is so not cool, Mr. Agreste!" I protest, once again shaking Adrien off of me. "You can't do this."

My whole world crumbles as Mr. Agreste dashes my hopes to get Adrien a real life. "Mr. Lahiffe, I am going to have to ask you leave. You are a bad influence on my son, and I do not want to see you with him again. Nathalie?"

"Father, no!" Adrien tries to plead for a different verdict, but there's no use.

"Adrien, please go to your room."

"Nino-" Adrien tries to cry out to me, but his bodyguard ushers him off to his room, shutting him up.

I don't respond to his cut off plea, furious, as Nathalie ushers me out of the house.

* * *

 _Marinette's Point of View_

* * *

Talking to Plagg while sewing has been refreshing, to say the least.

I haven't had anyone to talk to this much in ages, beyond my parents, and it's a huge weight off my shoulders that I hadn't even realized was there. Since I'm sort of alone at school, having practically no friends, the conversation is very much appreciated. The kwami's appetite may be unsateable, and perhaps sometimes Plagg can be a bit of a sarcastic jerk, but I don't mind the banter. It's actually a welcome change to the quiet, and I think it could help me learn how to face Chloe down for whenever she's being a jerk.

Even though he doesn't say it specifically, I think Plagg appreciates it too. From what I've gathered, he loved his last holder a lot, and the blow of getting locked back up in his Miraculous to be given away without his consent was devastating. Not only that, but it seems like his last kitten, as he seems to like calling all his previous holders, was very easily fed up with him. I think it makes him a bit hesitant now.

However, I'm quickly jolted out of these thoughts by the sight of my father floating past my window in a giant bubble. Screeching in shock and causing Plagg to drop his macaroon, I race to the window, eyes wide as I watch him float up, hand stretched outward toward me when he sees me watching.

"Plagg!" I whimper, heart thrumming wildly in my chest. "What do I do? That's my father! It has to be an akuma who did that, right? But I'm not prepared for fighting an akuma! What if I fail all over again? I'll just end up getting in the way juse like last time and then Hawkmoth will win and-"

" _Relax_." The easygoing, relaxed attitude of Plagg brings my rapid thoughts to a crashing halt as I look over at him, flabbergasted at how calm he is taking this. "Ladybug has been trying to run a one-woman show as it is, she'll live if she doesn't have a partner for a bit. It _could_ do her some good. Make her a bit more appreciative. You won't be a sidekick, you'll be an equal. So kickback, relax, she'll sort it out."

"But Tikki-" I begin, but Plagg cuts me off.

"No, no 'but Tikki' anything. Tikki is incredibly pushy. She thinks that you have to jump right into it, and I suppose because of the circumstances, she would be right. But you aren't one of her ladybugs anymore; you're my kitten. Ladybug might be needed on the scene, but if you aren't ready yet, that takes priority." He floats in front of my face, one paw outstretched at me as if to emphasize his point. Slowly he calms down, and mutters, "Sorry, I just...I don't want it to happen again. And so I'm willing to wait as long as you need to to get out there to help. Ladybug and Tikki will just have to live with that." Before I can even thank him, he announces, "Besides, in a battle between eating macaroons or fighting an akuma, macaroons win. Every time."

I giggle, but then there's a knock on the door to the balcony, causing me to freeze. I glance at Plagg, and he nods, slipping into my bag. I grab it, pulling it close to my chest before walking over and carefully pushing the door open. I can't see anyone, so I begin to climb out, only for someone to hoist me up themself. Out of instinct, I let loose a shrill shriek and begin to kick, almost resulting in my attacker dropping me. However, they carefully sets me down, and when I spin around I get my first good look at them.

Any words I have to say fall completely out of my head, leaving my only option as staring at the guy standing before me. It's the akuma who sent my dad floating away, and from the looks of the chaos happening around us, he's been sending all sorts of people up in similar bubbles. Out of every akuma I've seen, this bright red villain takes the cake for the most ridiculous-looking akuma yet. To be honest, I don't even know how to describe his appearance, especially with all the weird circles attached to his design. It's certainly an eye sore, to say the least, and the bubble wand he tries to wield fiercely in his hands certainly doesn't help matters.

"Marinette," The voice is definitely familiar, but I can't put a finger on how so, "Are you ready to party with the Bubbler?"

"Party?" I echo back in confusion, trying to think of what that could mean and who this akuma could be to know who I am.

"Adrien's birthday party!" That's right, Adrien's birthday is today! Plagg has distracted me from dwelling too much on it, so much so that I realize at the akuma's statement that I didn't get him a gift. "The adults are away, and the kids are gonna play. Gabriel Agreste can't stop us now."

The wheels in my head start turning. That must be why he didn't send _me_ up in a bubble too. I'm a kid, not an adult. But why is he doing this? Who is this guy? There's one glaring option in my mind, but I can barely stand the thought. Is this Adrien? Was he akumatized? Surely he wouldn't look _this_ unattractive as an akuma! I don't think he even has the ability to be unattractive. Could this actually be him?

"Come on! Ditch the long face." He grabs my arm, leaping off the roof with me in tow. I shriek, and he laughs. "Calm down. I won't drop you, dude."

That cements my stance that this cannot be Adrien in my mind. But who else would be so outraged over a birthday party? Unless the birthday party isn't even related, and is merely something the akuma decided to do. This is all so confusing!

Clinging desperately onto Bubbler, he finally touches it down inside the Agreste mansion gate, and I gape at the sight of what appears to be our entire class in the courtyard, as well as some kids who I'm not even sure necessarily _go_ to our school. Of course, I can't completely tell who is all here, but it sure looks like Adrien isn't. Isn't this supposed to be his birthday?

"Now, let's get this party started!" The Bubbler makes his way to a DJ booth, and I have to wonder how he managed to get it here. Grabbing the microphone attached, he announces to the crowds, "Can I get a happy birthday for Adrien Agreste?"

Everyone complies, so I follow in suit. This quickly results in the doors of the mansion swinging open, and out steps the aforementioned blond model, looking incredibly confused. My heart beat picks up all over again as I carefully put my purse on, allowing me to have my hands free just in case. Where the heck is Alya to save the day as Ladybug?

"Adrien, my dude!" The akuma greets him from the DJ booth, not paying any attention to the shocked look on his friend's face. "Happy birthday! Time for you to get a _proper_ party."

As if to emphasize his point, he begins to start the music, and everyone begins to dance. Uncomfortable, I make my way over to the food table, trying to ignore the pointed look Chloe gives me when I pass her on my way. Did the Bubbler have to bring _her_ here too?

What I don't count on is the food table being so close to the Bubbler's DJ booth, and by grabbing a soda, I manage to draw more attention to myself than I mean to when I try to slip off back into the crowd. "Yo, Marinette, want to join me up here?"

I turn to look at him, eyes wide, but manage to stop myself from instinctively saying no. That wouldn't go well. "Um, sure?"

Carefully I step up with him, and the Bubbler grins. "Yes! Got any song requests?" When I shake my head, deciding the best route for now is to not say anything that might upset him, he rolls his eyes. "Fine, guess we'll play..."

"A slow song!" Chloé interrupts Bubbler's search through his songs, and I stare at her in shock. She ignores me though as Nino nods in contemplation. "After all, Adrien needs to experience one for the first time."

As Chloé continues to try and persuade the Bubbler, I scan the area for anyone I know. Alya seems suspiciously missing. Is that because she's transforming, already taken care of by Bubbler, or because she wasn't brought to the party in the first place? I don't know, so I'm not sure what to do. Should I try to sneak off and transform? If Alya doesn't arrive soon, I might have to.

I do manage to make eye contact with someone else. Adrien is standing at the other end of the yard, seeming to have finally caught on that most of the people here are uncomfortable, as well as scared the Bubbler will hurt them if they don't party for Adrien's birthday. I gesture sort of helplessly, forcing myself not to freak out at making eye comtact with him, only to realize he's trying to mouth something to me. I try to squint and lean closer, but I still can't manage to make it out. His pointing to the Bubbler doesn't do me much good either.

My attention is torn away from him when a red-suited girl comes crashing down into the clearing, glaring determinedly at Bubbler. Alya looks confident, and the nagging thought over whether I chose right or not, especially after talking to Plagg, rings in my ears. I ignore it, glancing nervously at Bubbler as he jumps on top of his DJ booth, obviously about to challenge Ladybug. As he does, Chloé shrieks in fear and rushes away, as if he means to attack _her_ and not Ladybug.

He ignores her, instead speaking to our heroine. "Have you come to crash the party, dude? Not cool!"

And then I realize what Adrien was trying to tell me. The closest I'd come to deciphering what he was saying was that he was saying "no" two times in a row each time. But I was wrong, obviously. There's one person suspiciously missing from the group of people here for Adrien's birthday, which is odd when he claims the title of being Adrien's best friend. Not only that, but there's only one person I know who calls basically everyone he meets "dude." He's been my classmate for so long, how the heck did I not figure out the Bubbler is Nino? He might look ridiculous right now, but still.

"The adults keep the system running. Just give up now." Alya swings her yoyo threateningly, stepping closer.

I certainly don't expect what's coming next. The Bubbler - well, Nino - grabs me, tugging me in front of him and in the way of the now frozen Alya.

"Careful now, Ladybug," He shakes his head, tightening his hold on my arm with his one hand and holding his bubble wand in front of me with the other, "Or I might just have to be dangerous. Partying isn't a crime, is it?" I try to pull away, but that's not happening. I barely even manage to catch him whisper, "No worries, Mari, I won't actually hurt you. I'd hurt someone else."

I'm not sure that makes me feel any better.

Ladybug bristles in obvious agitation. "Let her go." It's an authoratative command, one I could never have made in her shoes.

But Nino doesn't make any move to do as told. Instead, he just holds on tighter, although I think he might have shaken his head. Alya scowls, obviously displeased, but quickly forces her expression neutral, or as neutral as possible. Apparently, she doesn't mind putting me at risk, because she decides to just go for it.

Lunging forward, she flings her yoyo at us. I shriek, throwing my hands up to cover my face, but Nino doesn't keep me as a shield. Instead, he shoves me out of the way, thankful for the escape. However, I quickly change my mind, as I trip off the stage and uselessly flail my arms before landing on the ground. I groan, forcing myself to clamber back onto my feet, and then begin to scramble away from my two battling classmates. Thankfully I don't seem to have hurt anything too badly from my fall, so I get away quite quickly.

However, I don't hurry off towards my classmates, who are in the opposite corner and cowering as they watch the fight. No, I make my way for the exit, hoping that it will just look like I made a desparate escape. It would be stupid to hide in the corner with the rest when I could get away anyways. Still, that logic should keep people from wandering where I've run off to, not that any of them will even notice I'm gone.

Upon rushing outside the gate, I go a little ways away over before diving into a nearby alley and pulling my purse open, allowing Plagg to fly out. "Nette? You okay? I thought you were at a party."

"A party hosted by an _akuma_. Did you forget?" I can't imagine how a kwami could forget such a thing.

"There were macaroons! Nothing is more important than my new found love, macaroons. I can't help it!"

I stare at him for a moment before asking, "Did you eat all of the macaroons I had in my bag?"

He folds his arms and merely whines in response. "I was _hungry_."

"It's fine," I giggle, but my smile dims as I glance back around the alley wall to look at Adrien's house, "but all of my classmates are in there. Including Adrien..." I trail off, thinking of the poor blond in distress. What if he's in trouble?

"Kid? Yoohoo, Nette, back to reality, please." I flinch, but bring my attention black to Plagg. "I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again anyways. I really think you deserve someone better than that model." He says it with a lot more spite than I expect. "I bet he's not nearly as perfect as you think he is."

"No way, Plagg." I scoff at his claim as I roll my eyes. "But that's not the point. Don't I need to help Ladybug?"

"No."

"No?" I echo increduously, trying to process what he's just said.

He yawns. "Ladybug can handle herself. We've been over this already. It'd do her some good to experience what she always told my last kitten she wanted. Unless," He eyes me up carefully, "you _want_ to transform?"

I give a nervous laugh. "What? No! I'll just mess it all up again!"

"Nette, look at me." Plagg's fierce tone and sudden seriousness takes me by surprise as he zoomes in front of my face. "This is your choice. If you aren't ready, you aren't ready. But I _promise_ you were meant to be a hero. You won't mess up the akuma again, because that's not your job; protecting Ladybug is. And even if you somehow mess that up, it's okay."

I take a deep breath, fiddling with the necklace. "Thank you, Plagg."

Afrer a moment, Plagg cautiously asks, " _Do_ you want to transform, Marinette? Don't think about anything else, just about what you want. I don't want to be pushy, but..."

I hesitate, afraid to give my answer, before saying, "I don't want to be seen. I don't want Paris to think they have a new hero when I'm not sure if I'm ready."

The black cat grins, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Why didn't you say so? No one needs to see you or know that a new user is active. What do you have in mind?"

I glance at the rooftops, an idea formulating as I continue to look around. "I'm not sure, but I might have an idea..."

"Ooh, do tell, Kitten! What's got you so excited?"

"How should I destroy something so that it falls on an akuma? While staying out of sight, obviously."I arch an eyebrow, awaiting his response.

Plagg cackles, flipping around in the air before landing on the dumpster across from me. "I'm so _very_ glad you asked!"

* * *

 _Adrien's Point of View_

* * *

As Ladybug continues to launch herself at Bubbler, a sick feeling gnaws away at my stomach. She's struggling; that much is obvious. Chat Noir is supposed to be taking the brunt attacks while Ladybug strategizes and then helps pull the plan off. She's not supposed to have to defend herself in such close combat. It's taking its toll on her, and it's all my fault.

 _I_ am supposed to be out there, fighting alongside her. _I_ am supposed to be protecting her while she figures out how to win. _I_ failed her by failing the simple task of passing the ring to Nino, and now things are going horribly wrong.

"What have I done?" I whisper, cowering with the rest of the class as Ladybug's yoyo tangles around Nino's bubble wand sword.

"Noir, where the heck are you?" The red hero snarls, pushing against the bubble wand and obviously struggling.

Rose whimpers beside me, and I look over at her, wishing I could offer her some sort of comfort. "Juleka," She whines, looking up at the darker dressed girl beside her, "I'm scared."

Chloe latches onto my arm, pouting up at me when I look at her. "Protect me, Adrikins!" She shrieks, and I have to resist groaning.

My eyes flick back to the fight, nervous she'll have brought unnecessary attention to us, but the akuma and Ladybug aren't paying us any mind. Is it worth the risk to try and get everyone inside, or will that draw the battle's attention to us? We can't just stand here forever. As it is, we're sitting ducks.

No, getting ourselves into trouble is a risk we'll have to take for the safety.

"Rose," I hiss, drawing the distraught blonde's attention, "spread this message down the line: the door is unlocked, so everyone should slowly try and get inside. It's safer that way."

The blonde nods resolutely, getting on her tiptoes and whispering the message to Juleka. Slowly, they each pass the message down, and Alix makes the first move, beginning to push the door open. We're all pretty quiet, so as the line shuffles forward, I nervously check the fight again.

Ladybug skids backwards, and I hold back a gasp. She's being beaten. I freeze with Chloe trying to push me forward as the Bubbler begins to advance while Ladybug struggles to get to her feet. What have I done? I have to stop this, but I'm not a hero anymore. I gave that up because I was unwanted. So what do I do? How am I supposed to help her?

This is all such a mess. I have to do something. I begin to step forward, ready to call Nino's attention away from Ladybug, but then-

"Cataclysm!" The cry rings out through the air, and I freeze alongside everyone else. Where did it come from? Wildly my eyes dance about, trying to find the source. No one else necessarily knows besides me that this is someone different. But where are they? Who took up the mantle? Who found the ring? How?

Oddly enough, there's no sign of them anywhere. However, they accomplished what they needed to. Bubbler is caught off guard, and this results in some column - I think from Nino's DJ booth - crashing down on him. He falls, stunned and trapped underneath it, giving Ladybug a chance to summon her luck.

"Lucky Charm!"

A wrench drops into her hand, and Ladybug frowns. She never did seem as adept at figuring out what they were for compared to my first lady. After a minute, she decides to go the unconventional route and throws it at Bubbler, hitting him in the head as he tries to lift the stand. He falls back down, suitably knocked out, and Ladybug rips his bubble wand from his hand, snapping it in half.

Everyone slowly stumbles back outside - at least those that made it inside before the mysterious 'Cataclysm' rang out, since no one else did after that - and Ladybug snatches the akuma in her yoyo. Then, she tosses the wrench in the air before waving to us all, frowning when her eyes land on Nino.

"You all should get home," It's an order, not a suggestion. As we all begin to break apart and I rush for Nino, I hear her mutter, "I have a cat to scold."

I stop in my tracks, flinching for a moment at the barb. But I'm not Chat anymore, and Ladybug doesn't know that she has a new partner that apparently didn't want to come out. So, ignoring the sick feeling in my stomach, I continue over to Nino, kneeling beside him as Ladybug yoyo's away.

"Dude?" Nino rubs the back of his head, obviously confused. "What happened?"

"You were akumatized." I say with a sigh, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet.

"Crap." He drops my hand at that, staring down at his feet. "Did I do anything stupid?"

I shake my head. "Besides attack Ladybug and maybe flirt with Marinette, no. You threw

The fact that he flirted with Marinette seems to be even worse than getting akumatized, at least in Nino's opinion, because he looks a little shakey as he stutters, "N-no way, dude. Did I really flirt Mari?"

"Not well, but..."

He groans loudly, burying his face in his hands. "I have to apologize right away. Where is she?"

"Not here. She escaped when Ladybug began to fight you." I set a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He heaves a sigh. "Seeing her at school is going to be _so_ awkward."

I cock my head. "Text her then. Marinette always seems super nice, she won't give you a hard time."

"Texting her would be even worse! You don't know Dupain-Cheng like I do. When we were closer in elementary school, she _loved_ to lord things over me." He moans in despair. I can only give an exasperated sigh in response, ready to berate him till he asks, "Was I at least cool?"

"Your name was the Bubbler." Nino looks even more embarrassed at that news, and I can't help chuckling.

"Do I even want to see the pictures that will show up on the Ladyblog later?"

"Probably not." I laugh, shaking my head. "Probably not. But I won't tease you about it _too_ much." He groans once again, and I begin to usher him towards my house. "Come on, let's play some video games and get your mind off it for now."

"But your dad-"

I roll my eyes. "He can suck it up. You're my friend, and he'll have to deal with it."

Nino raises his eyebrows at that, and I scowl at the skepticism in his voice as he says, "Big words for a little man. Why, I recall just earlier-"

"Shut up, Bubbles, or I'll tell Marinette how you feel about her!" I threaten, waving my hand in his face.

"You wouldn't..." My best friend looks at me in absolute terror, and I grin wickedly, racing up the stairs. I can hear his footsteps as he races after me, huffing, and when I glance back I see his hands are balled into fists. "Adrien Agreste, you get back here right now!"

"You'll have to catch me first!"

I only turned around to look at Nino for a moment, but that's all it takes. I barrel right into someone and stumble back, blinking in surprise. Who on earth did I manage to rush into? As I rub my aching head, I look up and get my answer.

My father stares back at me, the same cold expression on his face that he wore previously when he told Nino to leave.

"Adrien-" He begins, voice as cold and harsh as always.

"Father, I'm so sorry-" I begin at the exact same time, furiously trying to negate the damage I just caused.

"Adrien, come back! I swear if you tell her I'll..." Nino interrupts us both, and we both turn to stare at him as he rounds the tops of the stairs, coming to a screeching halt and trailing off as he sees us both. "Oh, uh, Mr. Agreste. Hello."

The stink eye I've gotten so many times is now directed at my best friend as my father states more than asks, "Didn't I say you were _not_ to be found hanging out with my son anymore, Mr. Lahiffe?"

"Yes-"

"And didn't I say I wanted you out of my house, Mr. Lahiffe?"

"Yes, but Mr. Agreste, dude, please just liste-"

"Then why are you still here, Mr. Lahiffe?" My father takes a step towards Nino, glaring down his nose at him as he does.

Before Nino has a chance to respond to the next sharp question, I step in, furious at how he's being treated. "Stop, Father!"

That catches the infamous Gabriel Agreste's attention, pulling his gaze back to me. "Adrien?" The disbelief in his tone is incredibly evident.

"Nino is my friend. My _best_ friend. Why are you taking him away from me?" I don't realize how desperate I sound till the words leave my mouth, and protectively I step in front of Nino. "Please, don't do this."

"What about Miss Bourgeois? The mayor's daughter? I thought she was your best friend?" My father is skeptical, as always, raising an eyebrow at my statement.

"Chloe is my friend, yes," I admit, rubbing the back of my neck as I stare at the ground, "but she's not my best friend. That's Nino. Please, don't take him away from me. He wasn't trying to be rude, he just was trying to be a good friend..."

My father frowns, glancing to Nino. "Is this true?"

"Yes, du- I mean, sir!" Nino answers quickly, barely catching my mistake.

"I suppose," My father drags the words out, obvious contemplating his answer before finally saying, "that he can be on probation. I won't make an official decision on if he allowed back for certain yet, but-"

"Thank you, Father!" I pull him in for a hug, beaming, and he freezes, apparently not sure how to react. "You won't regret this, I promise."

His response is curt, but I don't care right now. "See to it that I don't."

* * *

 _Alya's Point of View_

* * *

I flop down on my bed with a groan. That akuma Battle was exhausting, especially due to Chat's decision not to make an appearance. "That lousy Black Cat only bothered to show up at the end, Tikki, and didn't even help besides using Cataclysm!"

Tikki sighs as she lands on the bed next to me. "I told you, Alya, the Black Cat Miraculous was no longer active. Chat Noir gave it up. Whoever used Cataclysm today? It was not Chat, at least not the Chat you used."

"Well then," I purse my lips in annoyance as I sit back up, "they're already proving to be a lousy partner. Why didn't they help sooner, or do something more than use their 'special power?'"

"I don't know," Tikki admits, frowning, "but I'm sure Plagg has his reasons."

"Plagg?"

"The kwami of the Black Cat Miraculous." Tikki's eyes flicker around nervously.

I huff, rolling my eyes. "Well, Plagg seems stupid. I haven't even met him, but he seems lazy and I hate him for that."

"Hey!" My kwami scowls at that, zooming in front of my face and looking ready to slap me. "Plagg is _not_ stupid. Take it back!"

"Geez, don't get so worked up, Tikki. I didn't think you'd care so much." Sitting up on my bed, I eye her carefully. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you _liked_ him or something. Aren't you guys complete opposites?"

She looks a bit dejected at that statement, spirits dampening. "He's my friend...One of my oldest friends...He's the ying to my yang and I can't exist without him..."

I bite my lip, not meaning to so deeply upset her. Despite being frustrating at times, Tikki hasn't done anything to deserve being snapped at. And yet, this response is so unexpected compared to our previous interactions that I have no idea how to respond to it. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

Tikki interrupts with a wail, sinking down onto the bed again as I look at her in shock. "It isn't his fault! Plagg's job is so hard and his poor kitten...It's not his fault, Alya, it's not his fault! I-I know...It's so hard for him and...He's my friend! He's my friend and I hurt for him!" Her voice cracks at the end and she hiccups, rubbing her eyes as she struggles to look up at me.

"Tikki..." I murmur, unsure of how to calm down the sobbing kwami. I'm lucky none of my family is home right now to hear her, or else I'd be in for some awkward encounters as I tried to explain why someone was wailing in my room. "I-I didn't know, I'm sorry. Uh, it's okay. Calm down..." Dang it, I don't know what to do! "I-I believe you."

She sniffles pathetically, looking up at me and struggling to blink away the last of her tears. "You do?"

I nod, offering her a weak smile that feels more like a grimace. "Yes, I believe you."

"You should have been nicer to your first Chat." Tikki's tone instantly shifts to scolding, and I lose all my pity for the poor kwami. "Then Plagg wouldn't have to be hurt! Now he's been rejected by a Chosen again and-"

"It's not my fault! Chat Noir was useless, when he wasn't getting in my way. He was a pathetic sidekick; I'd rather have someone more competent." I fold my arms, scowling.

"No! You're wrong. You gave him such a hard time and-"

"That's not _my_ fault. I was being the responsible leader! He was being childish. You saw his antics. You _agreed_ that he was being ridiculous with antics. Don't try and say that you don't know!"

"No, stop! You are being arrogant and were incredibly rude to Chat, and because of that, he's given up the ring!" Tikki screams the words, only to cover her mouth in shock as she realizes what she said. Her voice drops down to a whimper as she begins to apologize, "A-Alya, I'm sorry, I-"

I shake my head, putting a hand up. "I don't want to hear it right now, Tikki."

The red kwami stumbles, obviously not used to this sort of scenario. "But Alya-"

"I said I don't want to hear it right now! Just...Just leave me alone, okay?"

Tikki whimpers, but doesn't argue, instead floating over to the head of the bed and laying in the pillows. At least she looks remorseful. Huffing, I stand and stomp over to my desk, frustrated. Why can't Tikki ever tell me that I've done something right? Instead I'm always getting scolded. _I_ didn't give her up. _I_ am doing _way_ better than the first Ladybug. So why doesn't she tell me that? Why doesn't she see that? Can't she see it?

She cares more about another Miraculous holder that she hasn't ever personally talked to than she cares about me. That's a hard truth to swallow.

My fingers graze one of my earrings, and I trace the circle it makes in my ear. No one said being a superhero was so hard. Even in the comics, when the heroes complain, they still make it look easy.

I whimper, biting my lip. So why isn't it easy for me? Doesn't Tikki see that I'm trying so hard to be good, and that I have been?

"Why can't you love me more than the Ladybug before me?" I whisper the words, not realizing I'm saying them out loud till they escape my lips.

"What did you say, Alya?" Tikki's voice isn't accusing, just curious. Thank goodness she didn't hear me.

I shake my head in an attempt to clear it as I let my hand fall back into my lap, staring at my blank computer screen. "Nothing, Tikki."

I wait a few moments to see if she's going to keep pushing, only to be greeted with a sad, "Okay."

Biting back a sigh of relief that would only peak Tikki's curiosity again, I focus my attention back on the computer, pushing the button to switch the power back on. It turns on to reveal the page I was last on, the Ladyblog, which is just the page I wanted to see. I have to update it anyways. Tikki definitely disapproves of me running a blog about myself, but I started it the first time the Miraculous wielders appeared, so it'd be weird to suddenly stop it. The tiny kwami has been forced to accept it, despite her claims that it feels arrogant, and thankfully doesn't chime in with her disapproval too often.

As I scroll down the page to start a new blog post, I note some of the comments that have been left on the site since the akuma attack.

LadybugFan1 : _Where was Chat Noir today?_

M1racul0us : _Why did Chat Noir take so long to show up?_

Guest 7 : _Stupid black cat didn't even make an appearance! What a mangy alley cat._

imaginary_genius : _Why didn't Noir come out and help? What a loser, hiding and only using his Cataclysm!_

Guest 8 : _Did Chat finally realize he's useless? Is that why he wasn't there today? He wasn't in any of the pictures anyone has posted!_

Luka Coffaine : _Why is everyone here so mean to Chat Noir?_

iHEARTpuppies : _I hate that stupid cat guy! Ladybug doesn't need a sidekick!_

Pursing my lips so as not to alert Tikki and be on the receiving end of yet another scolding, I scroll past the rest without reading them. Otherwise I'll most definitely make some noise of agreement and Tikki will come over. Repressing my sigh, I click the button for a new blog post and watch as it loads to the new page. What should I talk about? The Bubbler incident? Should I say I got to talk to Ladybug and she told me about Chat Noir's disappearance? How do I handle this delicately? I'm just not sure, but my readers will be expecting _something_ , especially since it seems most of them are aware he didn't show up today, though they aren't aware he's never returning. If only someone could have caught a picture of my new partner, then I could have something to work with!

"You know, you could get a video of an interview with Ladybug to upload to the Ladyblog if you had someone else to record it for you."

"Tikki!" I exclaim, jumping and spinning around in my deso chair to face the red kwami. "Oh my gosh, you gave me a heart attack. I didn't know you were behind me!"

"Sorry." I'm not sure if she's apologizing for scaring me or for what she said previously. Maybe she's apologizing for both? I'll accept it no matter which one it is. I smile a little at her, which she seems to take as encouragement to continue trying to talk to me. Taking a deep breath, she repeats herself. "If you got someone else to videotape it, you could post an interview with Ladybug and have that person ask the questions you want them to ask.."

I shake my head. "And reveal my secret identity to someone? No way! Tikki, you've always agreed with me that it has to remain a secret. Why are you changing your entire stance now?"

Tikki frowns. "Who said you'd have to reveal your identity? That's not what I meant; like you said, I'm just as against an identity reveal as you are. Just tell them you can't go for some reason but don't want to miss the opportunity for an interview. Then you go as Ladybug and have them send you the video after. Then they aren't suspicious and you have an interview you can post on your blog."

Tikki is helping me with the blog she disapproves of? I swear I'm dreaming, but I appreciate the help.

"And just who would I ask to do this? I don't have time to make friends, so there's no one for me to ask."

"Well," Tikki begins, looking a bit nervous, but suddenly regains her nerve to announce, "I have an idea. You know that girl who sits next to you in class, Marinette? The one you saw get kicked out of her seat by Chloe?" I have to bite back a snarl at the reference to the blonde mayor's daughter. "She always seems like she wants to make friends with you. Why not take her up on that now?"

"And make her think we're going to be best friends? I don't have time to maintain that sort of friendship, not now, Tikki."

"You need friends, Alya."

I snort, shaking my head. "I've been fine so far, haven't I?"

Now it's Tikki's turn to scoff. "You mean you _weren't_ offended that everyone in your class was brought to the birthday party for Adrien by the akuma, except for you?"

"N-no! It was an akuma. Why would I be offended that an akuma didn't include me? That would have made my life harder!"

"Alya..."

Dang, she knows exactly where to hit to make it hurt and sees right through me. You'd think she'd be encouraging and appreciative, but instead she just feels so harsh on me.

Begrudgingly, I mumble an excuse. "But-"

Tikki cuts me off again, eyes narrowed in thought. "No, you don't get to 'but' me. Look, I won't force you to be friends with her, but you should at least give her a shot. Besides...don't you want a video interview to post on the Ladyblog?"

"Fine," I growl, throwing my hands up in defeat, "fine, I'll talk to Marinette. Are you happy?"

"Very." Tikki grins at me, and my scowl intensifies, causing her smile to dim slightly. "I'll leave you to your work for now. Don't forget about your homework, okay?"

I roll my eyes. "Okay, _Mom_."

"Normally I'd take a comment like that as a compliment, but in our current situation..." Tikki mumbles to herself as she flies away, so quiet that I can barely hear it, "I don't think it's meant in that context."

* * *

 _Master Fu's Point of View_

* * *

"Master, Master!" Wayzz's tone is too joyful as he flies into the room, and I look up at him with a frown. "Have you seen the news?"

"No. I was busy thinking about..." I gesture towards the Miraculous box, eyebrows furrowing. "Why were _you_ watching the news though? You hate the news. You don't even like the TV."

" _Well_ , it was on in the room I was in, so I had to take a peak..." The turtle kwami flies over to sit on the box, still looking far too smug to be up to anything good. "Wanna know what I saw?"

"...sure?" To be honest, I'm not quite sure how to respond to this, since he's obviously leating up to _something_ he deems important.

Wayzz takes a deep breath, and then announces far more cheerily, "There was another akuma attack!"

I groan, putting a hand to my forehead. "Another one? I am too old for this, Wayzz. Too old for this _job_. Why are you so excited that Hawkmoth, the man abusing the Moth Miraculous' powers and hurting Nooroo, struck again?"

 _"Because_ ," He draws the word out, obviously soaking the broef moment of withholding attention from me in, "the one you claim is my next Chosen was akumatized!"

Now I see what he was going for. "Ah. Young Nino Lahiffe was akumatized? Is the boy alright?"

Wayzz snickers. "Yes, Master. He was quite a lame akuma anyways; what else would you expect from one that's name was Bubbler?" He has to pause for a minute, chuckling so hard that there appear to be tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, it's just too funny. He wanted to host a _birthday party_ for his friend, so he sent all the adults he came across into the air inside bubbles. That's not the point though. He was _akumatized_. That means he can't _possibly_ be a good choice to pass the Turtle Miraculous onto."

"Wayzz!" I scold, catching the green kwami offguard. His eyes widen as I add, "I have never seen you be so closed-minded in all our time together."

"But Master-"

"No, let me speak. You are judging this boy so harshly when you have not interacted with him at all. That is not like you, and you know that." He dips his head in shame, spurring me to continue. "And are you even listening yourself? What you say shows that the boy obviously cares about those he knows, or that he at least has a good heart. Akumatized so he could host a party for his friend? What should upset me about that? _Everyone_ is susceptible to negative emotion. I think we can say we've seen that very clearly recently. Even I am. His akumatization will make him a better person, even if it would have been better if it could have been avoided altogether."

"You're right, Master..."

"Is that all you wished to inform me of?" I don't mean to be so curt with the kwami, but I can't believe he's acting like this.

Does he really hate this boy, this Nino Lahiffe, so much? I don't understand why. I have watched him; I even gave him that small test earlier today, presumably before he was akumatized. My gut is telling me that he is the next Guardian and wielder of the Turtle Miraculous, so why is Wayzz so opposed? Am I wrong? I don't see how I can be, and yet...he makes me uncertain in that stance. I don't want to choose wrong, not again. Still, I can't ignore my feelings for the boy's future.

Wayzz shifts anxiously where he sits, before finally stating in a firm voice, "No, there's something else."

"Oh?"

"The Black Cat's new weilder? The first Ladybug? The Dupain-Cheng girl? She did not make an appearance in the fight today as the Black Cat; hopefully, Tikki has already taken on the duty of telling her Chosen's _replacement_ that her partner has switched, but if she hasn't, surely she'll have now. Otherwise I will lose all my remaining respect for that strawberry kwami."

"Wayzz-" I begin to lightly scold him, though I am a bit taken aback by him calling her 'that strawberry kwami.'

Wayzz quickly cuts in to the part he was getting to, so he can avoid another scolding. "But I digress. She - the new Black Cat, that is - _did_ use Cataclysm on something though. I do not know what, but it apparently did help Ladybug in fighting off Bubbler."

I stroke my chin in consideration. "I see..."

"What is Plagg doing, Master? Why is he not encouraging his new weilder out as fast as possible to fight alongside Ladybug?"

"Because that is what Tikki did with Marinette, and it scared her off. Plagg is avoid repeating that. Not to mention that is just not how Plagg operates. There is a reason he and Tikki are opposites."

"But Ladybug _must_ work in tandem with the Black Cat!" The Turtle kwami is panicked, and I understand why, but panic is what has gotten us into this mess.

I sigh. "I am aware of this, Wayzz, but despite how Plagg may act, he knows what he is doing. He would like us to think he is lazy and doesn't care, but he does. Deep down, he truly does, and I'm sure he thinks it will do the current Ladybug - and most likely Tikki - some good to see what the consequences of her actions are. Do not worry. He will encourage and coach Marinette Dupain-Cheng out of her shell, but he won't make her do anything before she is ready. It would only cause more heartache. I just fear..."

"Fear what, Master?"

I shake my head, forcing myself to take another deep breathe. "At what cost, Wayzz? There is no doubt Plagg will help our Ladybug to grow, but at what cost? Tikki was to guide her on the path she is meant to go; the path Plagg's weilder tread is much different. Though Marinette will grow, it will not be in the way that was meant for her. What will the cost be? And the Ladybug...it is just not right. The girl is not moldeable enough for Tikki's ways. Neither of these girls should be molded by the kwami they now hold; I do not know if this new Ladybug is even fit to wield _any_ Miraculous."

Wayzz sighs, shaking his head. "It is best not to dwell on that now, Master. What matters right now is how we can go about rectifying things from here. What should we do?"

I drop my face in my hands. "I don't know, old friend. I just don't know. They are headed down very different paths than what is intended for them...This Ladybug, she needs a Miraculous to teach her to embrace unconventional methods and unconventional justice, not the sole power of creation that Tikki provides. Her creativity is not enough. And Marinette, she needs a Miraculous to show her her confidence, to prove her creativity and strength not to just to others but to herself. Tikki would put her on a path to growth, but I fear now Plagg will end up accidentally destroying our dear bluenette, who was not meant to bare the curse he seems to bring with him, while Tikki will stunt her new weilder's growth. And Adrien Agreste...he was meant for the Black Cat. If Marinette had not been scared away from her duty, he would have stayed, and all of this would have been right. Adrien needs the Black Cat to teach him of mischief and give him the freedom he needs, especially in his seemingly perfect life. He knows how destructive destruction truly is, so he could bare the trouble Plagg will bring, but now...now he will stay trapped inside, unable to grow to his potential either. What am I to do, Wayzz? I have failed as the Guardian. You have to be passed on."

That angers my kwami, and he glares at me. "No, don't say such things! I know things are hard. I know what this will do to those kids. But we simply cannot sit around talking about how we have failed! We must roll with the punches and be patient, Master. The has to be a way to use this, to fix this. We can guide them back to the right path, but we must stop sitting around on our butts and do something!"

I chuckle. "Inspiring as always, old friend...but I still fear my time with you will be up very, very soon. Sooner than you would like to believe."

"Please...please don't speak of things right now."

"Alright, old friend. We need not speak of such things right now. How about I make us some tea? I need a break before I can focus on where we go from here."

* * *

 **And there we have it! The end of chapter five! We'll be seeing more of Chloe and Marinette's drama, but that takes the back seat seeing as school is off and Bubbler rolled around. What did you think of Adrien apparently telling Nino everything about wielding the Black Cat Miraculous? How about the encounter with Master Fu? Do you guys like Marinette and Plagg's relationship so far? What do you think she looks like when she transforms? We'll find that out very soon. c; How do you think Adrien feels about the mysterious new Black Cat? Do you think he will discuss it with Nino? How about Alya and Tikki? What are your thoughts on their relationship? Are you excited to see Alya and Marinette interact, or no? Why do you think Tikki is encouraging it? Now that Mari has learned how Alya is acting as Ladybug from Plagg, how do you think she'll react to the request? How do you feel about Master Fu and how he is handling this? I'm so curious for everyone's impressions. Are you guys catching the references I'm sprinkling in to tie in future akuma attacks from the show? Which one do you think will appear next? Who do you think will get a Miraculous next? Do you think it'll all go as planned? I suppose only time will tell, but let me know in a review what your thoughts are! :p**

 **Anyways, to thank you all personally for the support, let me respond to your reviews!**

 **decode9 : Thank you! I love writing it. And indeed, we'll see that when Marinette finally joins the fray completely.**

 **code R.R : I don't mind rambly! I'm glad you have a lot of thoughts. c; Oh yes, misunderstandings galore. And trust me, we're not done with mistakes and pain. Lots of fun still awaits! :D Yes, more Miraculous in the playing field will be very exciting, but we still have some time to go. I won't be releasing them all at once, so no worries about mass chaos ensuing there. You'll have to wait and see about Chloe! c: As for Adrien, no worries, he won't be irrelevant. I've made sure my plans keep him in the loop, and don't forget, Mari still has a _major_ crush on him. And Chloe is his friend while also causing issues for Mari, so we'll see some strife there too. So there are definitely plans, and an akuma attack might come about...or maybe not. Guess we'll have to wait and see! I love your analysis of Adrien though, that is definitely what I'm going for with his character, though we will be exploring in his head more now that Nino has confirmed the ring is gone for him. With the excitement of Bubbler, it's been temporarily forgotten, but it'll hit Adrien like a ton of bricks next chapter. c; I definitely agree, his akumatization _could_ be positive in the end, if it happens, so we'll have to see if that is where the story takes us. Don't apologize, I love hearing your thoughts! We'll definitely see lots of pedastool smashing from people over their idols in this story, so no worries there. :p I'm super excited to follow a lot of the hooks and drama, and while I don't want to get _too_ spoiler-y, I do want to say that Plagg and Adrien definitely have a lot unresolved, so it's not the end of their interaction by any means... c;**

 **Anhilare : Thank you! Sorry the next chapter did _not_ come in a shorter amount of time, now that it's summer that will be different though! I'm glad you are interested to see what comes next. c:**

 **KittyKatt Uzumaki : xD Indeed, thank you!**

 **Guest : Sorry this was not updated sooner! Life is a butt sometimes. :c But the update is here now! I wanted to have it be the length of all the others, otherwise it would have been out sooner. I'm glad you love this story, and that it's sad. It's supposed to be. As for a happy ending, well...I'm still deciding on where I'm intending to end this and on what note, so no promises there. Let's just say happy might not be the word to describe the current plan. c; As for Adrien and a new Miraculous, my lips are sealed! Though as a tease, I will say he's not done with hero life, so speculate all you want on what that will mean for him!**

 **Thank you again for all your support! This story has my longest length goal per chapter (and is really my only story with a length goal per chapter) so I love that the response to it is so high. It means a lot! I promise, this time the update will come much faster. c: Thank you so much again for the support, it means more than you guys could know. Life is going really well for me now, which hasn't happened in a really long time, and it's finally give me the motivation to _really_ work on my stories on here again versus the occasional update if I could find inspiration in my busy, anxiety-filled schedule. It's really exciting and I can't wait to have more consistent updates for you guys! There are just so many plot points I can't wait to get to. :D**

 **See you soon!**

 **~ Dagger**


	6. Dates and Demands

**Chapter Six - Dates and Demands**

 **Dang, so this chapter is shorter than my usual update. I've been drowning in school work, so I have had less time to write this year - it's really upsetting for me, actually, because I haven't had time for my original writing OR my fanfic writing - and I've been struggling with grades. I was hoping to do more for Christmas break, but alas, this update was thwarting me. I decided to publish what I _did_** **have, despite it being half the size of a normal chapter, because I don't want to leave you guys hanging any longer. Hopefully you guys still enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Marinette's Point of View

* * *

When Chloe beckons, I respond.

Is this my life now?

"Tell me again why we're heading to your school so early?" Plagg grumbles from inside my jacket.

"Because that's what Chloe wants." I huff, trudging down the sidewalk. "And what Chloe wants, Chloe gets."

Sure, maybe I'd discussed that with my classmates before, but that was in the context of us complaining abut her behavior. I never imagined that I'd actually be following the same mindset as those she had wrapped around her finger.

I stop dead in my tracks, blinking. Did that make _me_ one of the people she had wrapped around her finger?

That was a truly terrifying thought.

"I still don't understand why you're letting her boss you around. So what if she has a video of you? It doesn't mean she can control you."

"But it does! If Adrien ever sees it, I'll be humiliated." I throw my head back and groan before forcing myself to continue onwards in my walk of shame. Still, Plagg certainly hit close to home. "I have to make sure she doesn't show him. If this is what it takes..."

Plagg hisses something about Adrien being stupid, and then says a bit louder, "I still think you should just move on. Then there isn't anything that she can hold over your head anymore."

I scowl, batting him back into my jacket. "We're almost there. Hide, Plagg."

This time grumbling about camembert, Plagg flies back into hiding. Once I'm sure he's hidden, I make my way up the stairs into the school. I highly doubt there will be many students arriving this early. Why is it that Chloe even wanted me to show up so early? Doesn't she need her beauty sleep?

Sabrina answers that question for me when I walk upstairs towards our classroom. "Here's Chloe's homework."

She grins as she shoves various assignments due today into my hands, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Why are you giving me Chloe's home-"

"You get to do it." The redhead winks before heading down the stairs. "I'm going to go wait for her. She expects it all to be done by the time she gets here, so chop chop!"

I watch, dumbfounded, as Sabrina starts to walk off. Then, she suddenly pivots, looking as if she has had a sudden epiphany. She takes her time strolling over, and before I can process what's happening, smacks the papers out of my hands and onto the ground.

"Hey!" I gasp, staring at the papers now strewn about on the ground.

She doesn't say anything in response, just giggling as she scurries off. Once she's down the stairs, Sabrina turns around one last time to give a mocking wave before she exits the building. The door shuts, leaving me completely alone again, minus Plagg. Most likely there are other people here, but they will be few and far between, and most will be faculty. In short, they don't count.

Sighing, I get down on my knees and begin to gather the papers up. Plagg flies out of my jacket, looking at me mournfully and nuzzling my cheek as I gather everything up.

"I thought you weren't the sensitive type," I joke, trying hard not to feel too disheartened.

" _Normally_ I'm not the sensitive type. This, though?" He waves a paw at the remaining papers before I scoop them up. "This isn't normal. That girl is being a total b-"

"It'll be fine, Plagg." Still, I can't help sighing as I stand.

Plagg's eyes narrow. "No, it won't! You're not her slave, Marinette. You _don't_ have to do this."

Shifting Chloe's papers so that I can hold them in the crook of my arm, I pinch the bridge of my nose with my now free hand. "We've been over this. I _do_ have to do this. She has a video of me and until she doesn't, I'm stuck doing her bidding to keep her from showing it to anyone."

I swear Plagg whimpers when he responds. "You don't deserve this, kitten." Then he darts back nto my bag.

"Thanks." I can't disguise the sudden weariness in my voice though. This entire school year so far, despite it barely even beginning, has exhausted me.

I enter my first period class in Miss Bustier's class, thankful that it's unlocked even though she doesn't seem to be around yet. Sitting down in my chair, I set to work on doing Chloe's homework. No wonder she wanted me here 45 minutes early; she didn't even bother to do any of it. Surely she realizes the teachers will catch on to it being my handwriting and not hers though, right? I actually won't mind getting in trouble if it means she does. Maybe then I could tell someone why I did it, and get them to _force_ Chloe to delete the video!

My excitement quickly deflates, however, when I realize Sabrina has been doing Chloe's homework forever. Either the teachers don't care, or Chloe is bribing them. Well, threatening might be a bit more accurate. Still, no matter which is true, it means I'm not going to be getting help on that front.

I am completely and utterly screwed.

Thankfully, I am able to finish the work within a half hour; it helps that I have my own work to copy the answers from. If I were doing it all from scratch, I'd be doomed. Once I finish, I go and set everything on Chloe's desk for her and then return to my own. Fifteen minutes - though probably more like five till people begin to enter the room - of freedom.

I set my head on my desk, wondering if maybe I can get a few minutes of sleep in before class. That was an absolutely awful experience. If Chloe keeps that up, I might _have_ to take Plagg up on his advice.

Right when I'm thinking I might be able to drift off to sleep, I hear the door open. Silently groaning, I lift my head. The clock says there's thirteen minutes left till class; apparently I was able to try and sleep for two minutes.

 _Wonderful_.

Chloe struts into the room, Sabrina following close behind. She stops at her desk, bending over to give them a cursory look over. Seeming satisfied, she nods, casting me a wicked grin before sitting down beside Sabrina.

I drop my face onto my desk again, resisting the urge to repeatedly slam into it. I hate my life.

More people slowly trickle in. Juleka and Rose enter together, with Nathaniel fairly close behind. Max shows up a minute later. Alya follows a bit after. I'm surprised to see that she looks less exhausted than usual; is that a good thing?

I assume so, but I'm not sure.

As she sits down, I think I hear her mumble, "Hear goes nothing, Tikki," before she says a bit louder, "Marinette, can I ask you a favor?"

I think my neck might break as I whip around to look at her, barely managing to keep my jaw from dropping. "Yo-You're asking me for a favor?"

She raises an eyebrow, obviously not amused. "That's what I just asked, isn't it?"

"Y-ya! Sorry, that was a dumb question. I was just surprised since we, ah, don't usually talk. What's up?"

"Have you seen the Ladyblog?"

I smile awkwardly to try and ease the tension as I answer, "Of course I have! I really admire you for starting it. It's super impressive! Though I think you give Chat Noir a bad wrap." I can't help tacking the last bit on, even if I know Chat Noir is no longer a part of the picture.

I can't help but feel that it's my duty to defend Chat. It might be because I was his partner, a partner who abandoned him. If it weren't for me, he might have kept his Miraculous. I never intended for him to give it up. Not only that, but I'm the new Black Cat holder. By defending Chat, aren't I, by extension, defending myself?

Alya opens her mouth, eyebrows furrowing as she no doubt plans her counterargument, but then she seems to think better of it and gives a resigned sigh. "Look, the public's perspective of Chat Noir isn't why I'm talking to you. I just wanted to ask if you could help me record something. Ladybug has offered to let me do an interview with her," I suddenly think I realize where this is going, "but tomorrow night is the only time she could do it for a while. I have to babysit my sisters then, but this is a really big opportunity and I don't want to miss it. It could really help my blog in terms of publicity, and there has to be a reason Ladybug asked metointerview her, right? So, would you be willing to conduct the interview for me?"

Clever of her to try and circumvent the fact that she'd have to interview herself otherwise, but I don't know if I can handle trying to ask her questions while she's masked. What if I give away that I know her identity? "Alya, I really want to help, but I don't know if I can conduct a real interview-"

"If you say yes, I'll get the questions to you tomorrow. All you'd have to do is read them off." She places her hand on the table, startling me with how intense she's been this whole time. "Can you do it for me?"

She really has thought this through. Not only that, but her soluion also solves my personal conundrum. If my questions are all prescripted, there shouldn't be any risk of me slipping up and giving away that I know who she is...

Taking a deep breathe, I prepare to nod, only to glance at Chloe. Will I be able to do this With the threat of Chloe hanging over my head? After all, if Chloe has more plans, then my reputation will be at stake should I not follow through. I don't want to even _think_ about what will happen if she sends her video out. Can I really commit to anything without knowing what Chloe has in store?

Alya apparently catches my glance, because her eyes narrow. "Why are you looking at Chloe? Are you guys friends or something?" The contempt in her voice is startling.

Now it's my turn to scowl as I snap, "No! No way. You saw how she treated me on the first day of school, didn't you? She hates me." I don't mean to sound like such a jerk, but the fact that she'd put me in the same boat as Chloe is infuriating.

She still seems skeptical, but is apparently willing to let it go for now. "So you'll do it?"

"Yes. Yes, I will." I nod, doing my best to sound confident in it.

Screw Chloe...

...though I hope I don't have to put my money where my mouth is.

Alya's eyes narrow, but she nods, turning forward to face Miss Caline as she enters. Once Alya looks away, I slouch down in relief. Even though I want to be her friend, I can't help but feel that Alya doesn't trust me. Is this how she treated Chat as well?

I frown, glancing at the blonde as she preens to Sabrina. When the door opens again and Adrien strolls in, Chloe catches my gaze, and smirks as I pull my gaze away from the model and force myself to ignore him.

Maybe Plagg is right. Maybe I _should_ try and move on.

"This day will be the death of me," I mutter, shoving my face into my hands.

"What did you say?"

I look up to find a confused Alya peering back at me, as if I'm some sort of strange specimen. "Uh, nothing. Sorry, I'm really tired. Must have been talking to myself."

She gives me one last weird look before turning away and retreating back into her thoughts. I have to resist the urge to sigh. That was my chance; I royally screwed up. That could have been my only chance to finally draw Alya out of her shell, figure out what's going on in her head and how I can help her; figure out why she was so awful to Chat. Instead, I completely passed up on the oportunity. Still, I guess she's going to _have_ to talk to me tomorrow. If she doesn't, she can't give me the questions I need to ask Ladybug during the interview, right? So maybe there is still a chance to redeem things.

There has _got_ to be a way to rectifiy this. There always is.

"Marinette? Marinette." I jump at the sound of Miss Bustier's voice, and see her frowning at me. "Pay attention, Marinette. We're doing roll call. I don't want to have to give you detention, especially not so early in the day."

"Sorry, Miss Bustier. Present."

I knew I had bad luck, but why the heck has it suddenly gotten so much worse?

* * *

 _Nino's Point of View_

* * *

"Dude, I can't do this."

I'm practically sweating buckets as I peer around the wall to stare at Marinette. She's sitting by herself, frowning over a sketchbook. Gosh, she looks adorable when she's concentrating like that. How have I ignored it for so long? This year, something just... _clicked_ , like when you finally figure out how two puzzle pieces fit together. It's obvious to me now; Marinette is adorable. More than that, I definitly like her.

Oh, who am I kidding? I have a ginormous crush on her. How the heck did I not see it earlier?

"Come on, Nino," Adrien says, slapping me on the back and nearly pushing me out of our hiding spot, "Marinette isn't scary. Just go up and ask her if she wants to go to the zoo with you. You guys have known each other for ages; this should be a piece of cake."

"That makes it even worse!" I whine. "If she rejects me, it could completely _ruin_ our friendship!"

Which was true. After all, we _may_ be friends who've known each other for years, but we aren't _close_. One wrong move could ruin our entire friendship!

"Marinette isn't like that." When that doesn't get a rise out of me, Adrien switches tactics. "You were totally okay to flirt with her when you were ak _uuuuu_ matized!" He drags the word out, smirking at my flustered reaction. "Sure, Marinette may be oblivious, and it may have been horribly awkward flirting while being somewhat mind controlled by a villain, but it's still progress!"

I groan. That makes this whole thing even worse! What if she hates me after what happened? I certainly wouldn't blame her. From what Adrien told me, I acted _super_ weird and there's no _way_ I didn't freak her out.

Adrien takes this momentary lapse in my attention as his chance to shove me toward our bluenette classmate. As I stumble out, I nearly trip and land flat on my face; thankfully I manage to catch myself before I end up looking like a complete and utter buffoon. I cast a glare back at him, readjusting my cap, but he just gives me a thumbs up.

Before I can stomp over there and give him a piece of my mind, I'm spotted. "Oh, hi Nino!"

I turn around, trying to stop my heart from beating any faster. It's so loud! I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. My throat has gone completely dry. Instead, I just stare at Marinette. To think, she's been in my class this whole time, and yet I didn't notice till this year just how amazing she is. She's sitting with her legs crossed on the bench, her sketchbook closed and sitting on her lap while her bag sits beside her. Her big, blue eyes are filled with concern like the sweet girl she is, and the look of confusion on her face is adorable, and now thar she's standing u-

 _Wait, she's standing up?_

The thought hits me like a ton of bricks. That ton of bricks is immediately followed by a second when I realize what that means: I've been awkwardly staring at Marinette long enough that she's worried. This situation could _not_ get any worse.

"Nino, are you alright?" She cocks her head as she looks at me, her pigtails flopping adorably as she does.

It's almost as if the universe _wants_ me to have a heart attack, because she then proceeds to grab my arm. I know it's just to make sure I'm okay, but a guy can pretend otherwise, right? My brain is practically short-circuiting. Marinette is touching me. How am I supposed to form coherent sentences now? I can barely string my thoughts together.

Doesn't show know what this does to a guy? Guys don't expect girls to initiate physical contact! And she doesn't even know what she's doing to me. How is that fair?

"Nino!" She's actually starting to sound panicked.

 _Crap! Come on, Nino, think of something to say!_ Panicking, I manage to spew some words from my mouth, "Uh, hey, d _uuuuuu_ de...ette. Dudette. Marinette!" Oh gosh, can the earth just swallow me whole right now? I know I have to save this conversation fast, but all I can manage to get out is a mumbled, "Wanttogotothezoowithme?"

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Want to go to the zoo with me after school?" Thankfully I manage to actually make sense when asking this time, but my relief is quickly shattered at the sight of her frown.

Gosh, how can she even frown adorably? To make matters worse, she releases my arm, adding to my disappointment. Why does she have to look so cute when I know she's about to let me down?

"Like a date?" I know that tone. That tone means she's not intrested. Gosh dang it, how do I get myself out of this? There's got to be a way to redeem this without ruining everything.

"No no no. A date? That'd be silly. We're just friends!" I virgorously shake my head. I thought I was sweating badly before, but my nerves have been hiked up to a whole new level. Can she tell how badly I'm panicking right now? "I just was asking as friends? Ya! Ya, as friends. I was gonna ask Adrien to come too. Then it won't be awk-"

She giggles, managing to stop my rambling. "I'll go to the zoo with you, Nino."

I give her a thumbs up, trying not to give away how my heart is writhing in pain. "Heh, awesome, dude."

She's ripped Cupid's arrow out of me and then repeatedly jammed it into my ribs.

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. I process it, but I don't move. This has gone horribly wrong. I'm mortified. Shaking her head with an amused smile, Marinette picks up her stuff before turning to me.

"I look forward to our date, alright, Nino?

"Uh huh!" I nod my head eagerly and excitedly wave at her as she chuckles and walks away, not fully processing what she has said. I'm trying so hard to not show my pain of being rejected. Even after she has her back to me and walks away, I keep waving with a dumb grin on my face, partially to hide my disapointent and partially because seeing her so happy makes _me_ happy.

I'm not sure how long I stand there waving even when I can't see her any more, but finally Adrien strolls up and throws an arm around my shoulder. "Alright, dopey, ready for class?"

Realizing how foolish I must have looked, I drop my head into my hands. "Gah, I sounded like a complete idiot!"

"Yep." He doesn't even try to stifle his snickering.

"You aren't helping."

"Aw, cheer up. Marinette must've found in endearing, seeing as she still agreed to the date even after you basically botched it by inviting me."

"Ya-" I stop, his words sinking in. "Wait, she agreed to the date?"

Adrien laughs. "How did you miss that?"

I pull my face from my hands so that I can do a fist bump. "Heck yeah, dude!" But then I freeze, realizing how ridiculous I must have looked. Replaying the conversation in my head, I cringe and moan, putting my head back into my hands. "But I made a complete fool of myself in the process! Gah, she must think I'm a complete dork. I definitely only got a pity yes!" Now my best friend begins to cackle as he starts pulling me towards the classroom. "Hey, you're supposed to be my best friend! My wingman. You are _not_ helping!"

He doesn't answer, just laughing louder as we head up the stairs towards our next class.

* * *

 _Chloe's Point of View_

* * *

"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! Miss Bustier, if you do not switch her, I will call my daddy this instant. I don't _care_ if the groups have already been established, or that people have been working on their projects. They'll just have to rework on them!" I reach towards my pocket as threateningly as I can manage, glaring at my teacher.

I want to like Miss Bustier, I really do, but how am I supposed to do that when she won't give me my way?

"You're such a brat." Alya groans from beside me, rolling her eyes. "Sit down. You're acting like a buffoon."

"How dare you!" I slam my hand on the table, turning to glare her instead.

She seriously has the nerve to call _me_ a buffoon? I am the mayor's daughter! What gives her the right to talk to me like this?

My project partner simply huffs, adjusting her glasses and seeming completely ignorant to the horrible crime she's just committed. "It's a poster, not a house, Chloe. Just do it. We probably could've been finished with it by now if you had simply done the work instead of complaining."

I make sure to let my disdain seep through as I look down at the paper and other art supplies strewn about the table. "And why can't _you_ do it?"

Alya pivots away from her laptop to look at me, actually having the nerve to glare. "We've been over this. I'm writing the paper, you're working on the poster."

"I just don't see how those two things correlate." I sniff, sitting down in my seat with a pout. "Surely you could do both."

"It's a group project, Chloe! Get that through your stupid, blonde skull!"

"Why I ought to-"

"Enough!" Miss Bustier glares at the both of us, hand reaching for a pen. "Do you both need detentions, or can I trust you to actually get some work done? Or at least to stop distracting every other group?"

I audibly gasp, glancing between the two. Are they coconspirators?

Before I can respond with my acusation, Alya chimes in with an overly pleasant, "Yes, Miss Bustier." Then she turns back to me, dropping her voice to a whisper so she can hiss, "Sit down."

I sit back down and slump back in my seat, glancing back at Sabrina for comfort. When she looks at me, I pout, getting a sympathetic look in response that says she believes my feelings are justified. Thank goodness _someone_ has some sense. I can always count on Sabrina to have my back and do my work.

She'll definitely be doing this poster for me tonight.

"Miss Bustier?" A few minutes later, Marinette's annoying voice assaults my ears as she and Nathaniel walk past my desk, their poster and report in hand. "We've finished up our project early. Can we turn it in?"

Miss Bustier takes the materials from them, unrolling the poster and audibly gasping. "This is wonderful! Great work, Marinette and Nathaniel. You two may have the rest of this period as free time."

Her pleased smile doesn't leave her face as the two return to the back of the room, where they'd been sitting to work, and she grabs some magnets off the board. With a bit of struggle, she manages to get the magnets on the corners of the poster, displaying Marinette and Nathaniel's work.

"This is a great example of what you all should be hoping to make." Miss Bustier gestures to the poster, calling everyone's attention to it.

She's acting as if it's a new Mona Lisa. It's not _that_ good. As everyone makes the appropriate sounds of awe that one makes in this situation, Miss Bustier sets their report on her desk. These teachers show such blatant favoritism. It's infuriating. I mean seriously, how else has Marinette not been expelled simply on the grounds of how often she's late to classes?

Rolling my eyes, I manage to surreptitiously slip my phone out, deciding it was time for a bit of a check in. I'm furious and need to do _something_ with that anger; since she's the object of my rage, it makes sense that I should take this out on her.

* * *

 _Chloe: Hello Maritrash_

 _Chloe: Anything noteworthy to tell me?_

* * *

I don't risk glancing back at my target, despite wanting to see her reaction. Instead, I wait to see whether or not she spots it. I'm not even sure that Dupain-Cheng _uses_ her phone in school; I'm actually a bit surprised when she responds.

* * *

 _Maritrash: I haven't talked to Adrien, if that's what you mean._

 _Chloe: I don't care if it's about him_

 _Chloe: Just spill_

 _Chloe: Don't forget our deal_

 _Marinette: ..._

 _Marinette: fine_

* * *

I wait patiently, expecting some sort of news, but after a few minutes, it's beginning to look like she has nothing to say. At least, nothing that she _wants_ to say. I'm about ready to send her an angry text, threatening to send the video if she dooesn't tell me something interesting, but suddenly a new message pops up on my screen.

* * *

 _Maritrash: Alya asked me to help her with a personal project outside of school tomorrow. I said I'd help._

 _Chloe: Ugh, I hate that girl_

 _Maritrash: Because she calls you out on your crap?_

 _Chloe: Watch your mouth_

 _Chloe: Or my hand might slip_

 _Chloe: And everyone might be seeing that video you want so desperately to hide._

* * *

That's enough of a threat to shut her up. It certainly feels nice to say, especially after she made me wait so long for a response.

* * *

 _Maritrash: And Nino asked me to go to the zoo with him._

 _Chloe: Ha, Lahiffe?_

 _Maritrash: Do you KNOW another Nino?_

 _Chloe: Touche_

 _Chloe: Did he ask as friends_

 _Chloe: or as a date?_

 _Maritrash: ya_

 _Chloe: ?_

 _Maritrash: a date_

 _Chloe: Good, then he can keep you away from my Adrikins_

 _Marinette: Adrien is not yours._

 _Marinette: Besides, I don't even know if I like Nino like that._

 _Marinette: He's more of a really good friend. Like a brother._

 _Chloe: Well if you don't_

 _Chloe: Then you're going to pretend_

 _Chloe: Because I don't want you near my Adrien_

* * *

Realizing I've forgotten something, I type up one last message to send her.

* * *

 _Chloe: Make sure you aren't busy Friday night._

* * *

Satisfied, I shut my phone off and slide it back into my pocket. That should be enough for now.

"Look, Chloe, I think the report is almos-" Alya turns to look at me, only to see that our poster is still completely absent of any designs. "You haven't done anything?"

"Don't sound so exasperated. I told you, I'm not doing it. You can do it instead."

"Miss Bustier!" Alya slams her hand off the desk, standing up. "You have to do something!"

Miss Bustier glares over at us. "Alya, if you cannot do a group project without my constant interference, I am going to have to deduct points from your grade." It appears even Miss Bustier has a limit.

My partner slowly sits back down, tiredly glaring at me. "Nevermind." I flash her a grin, which gets the expected reaction, albeit quieter than I hoped, "You're a brat."

"And you're stupid. You just don't know when to back down, do you?"

"You don't scare me, Bourgeois."

"But I should." I smirk at her. "I really, really should. You're playing with fire. Expect to get scarred."

Alya groans, placing her head on the table. "It's burned, not scarred! You can't even say it right!"

* * *

 **And there we have it! The "first half" of chapter six. Obviously chapter seven won't be 6.5, but since this is a shorter update it sort of will be? I've gone and confused myself now. cx**

 **What did you guys think of this chapter? Did you like it? Hate it? I'm sure you guys can see the threads of certain akumas being set up now. Hopefully it's obvious, but do you know which akuma is coming next? Which ones are you guys most excited to see? For the sake of not being INSANELY long, this story is only going to cover season 1 akumas - for good reason, though that reason won't be explained till later - so I _am_ intrigued to see what you guys are anticipating. Whose story line are you enjoying the most currently? Obviously Marinette is our main character, but I lik spending time with various characters and I'm excited to find out who you guys enjoy most. **

**Also, how do you guys feel abou a shorter update? Would you guys prefer to wait till I have the normal-sized update, even though it mean sa longer time, or do you prefer getting updates faster, even though they'll probably half the size of the original five chapters? I'm curious to know your opinions, so leave a review with your thoughts! This is important for me to know because I intend to try and do whichever you guys prefer. c;**

 **See you guys next time!  
**

 **~ Dagger**


	7. Perfect Pandemonium

**Chapter Seven - Perfect Pandamonium**

 **And here we are! I finally make another appearance! I'm so sorry that the updates are not consistent; I'd like them to be, but school has been a major pain in the rear. But have no fear! I promise I will finish this story, no matter how long it takes me! cx I have the entire thing planned out.**

* * *

 _Adrien's Point of View_

* * *

I feel a bit more awkward than I initially expected as I kneel in the bushes, watching Nino as he waits for Marinette. When he asked me to watch things so that I could help, I thought he meant that I should tag along as their third wheel. Granted, that would also have been awkward, but I could've made it work.

Spying from the bushes though? This is just sad. How am I even supposed to help him from here?

Nino glances over at me despairingly, seemingly preparing to give up and make his way over to me to bemoan it. However, as he starts to walk over I spot Marinette's blue hair as she tries to bypass a family walking on the path to make her way to Nino. I awkwardly point in that direction, and Nino thankfully gets the message to turn, completely freezing up at the sight of her.

I facepalm as she chuckles awkwardly, probably giving some sort of a hello to him. This date is never going to work out if Nino can't behave normally around her. A small part of me asks if that's a bad thing, but I push it away. Where did that even come from? Nino is my best friend!

Still, this whole thing feels weird. _Wrong_ , almost. I can't place my finger on why, but something about this just...disturbs me.

"Can we go see the otters?" Marinette asks, and I see that Nino looks a little more relaxed. Sure, he has a long way to go, but maybe he's actually going to improve.

"Y-yeah!" He nods like an overeager puppy, and they walk about ten feet away to where the exhibit is.

I consider going home, since it seems like things will be alright; Marinette seems to have easing the awkwardness handled, so Nino shouldn't need my help. But then I spot Kim and Max, and quickly duck down further into the bush. I don't want to step out of here and get questioned by them on why I was in here in the first place.

So instead, I continue to be bunkered down in here, and listen to their fairly odd conversation. "Max, do you think I can run faster than a panther?"

"No, Kim, I really don't. Panthers are incredibly fast, and-"

"This one seems pretty pathetic. Show me what you got, big guy! Come _ooooooon_." There's a pause, and then Kim snaps, "Lame. Let's go see something more interesting."

Cue the sound of shattering glass just a few moments later, followed by pure chaos as people screamed and animals began to leap from their cages.

 _An akuma. Oh gosh, there's an akuma._ Still hunkered down under my bush, I glance around. _I gotta get out of here._

Even as I begin glancing around for an escape route, I can't help feeling sick to my stomach. I should be out there, but I messed up. I gave up the Miraculous, lost it, and even if there is a new Chat Noir, who knows if they'll show up? I don't even know where they are. It was my responsibility to be out there, and I messed up. What have I done? I'm so much of a coward that my immediate thought wasn't even to try to stay and fight or help; now that the ring is gone, I immediately switched tracks.

What does that say about me?

* * *

 _Marinette's Point of View_

* * *

"Akuma!" Someone screams, and instinctively I grab Nino's arm, glancing around wildly.

I have to get him somewhere safe. I have to get him somewhere safe, and then have an excuse to get away and transform. I have to help Alya with this akuma, even if it just means serving as a distraction while she figures out how to fix everything.

"Marinette, let's get somewhere sa _aaaaaaf_ -" Nino's urging turns into a shriek as we both are suddenly grabbed from behind and roughly tossed into one of the cages nearby.

We stare, wide-eyed, as Ladybug grabs the door, looking us over. "You'll be safe in here." Then she's gone, and I'm internally shrieking. What am I supposed to do?

I'm supposed to be out _there._ Not in here! I can't even get out. I'm trapped with a civilian. How am I supposed to get out of this one?

Nino kicks at the door, groaning in pain and hopping around as he holds his foot afterwards. "That things not budging." Gently he sets his foot down, awkwardly glancing over at me. "Guess we're stuck in here for now, aren't we?"

"I'll check the other side, in case there's another door. Maybe it won't be locked." Taking a deep breathe to try and calm myself, I make my way away from Nino to a more private part of the exhibit. Once we're out of that vicinity, I glance down at my purse and hiss, "Plagg! What am I supposed to do?"

Plagg floats through my bag, yawning. "What'dya have to wake me for, Nette?"

I take another deep breath. In and out. In and out. Plagg is going to help me figure this out. "There's an akuma."

The black kwami grins, floating up and tapping my necklace. "So you're wanting to transform?"

"I feel like I have to." I respond, and when he frowns up at me, I relent and add, "And ya, I did enjoy it, I guess. I did, well, kinda sort of miss it, even if I didn't have the Ladybug Miraculous for long."

"Well, why aren't we transforming then?"

I grab one of my pigtails, tugging at it in frustration. "Ladybug threw me as a civilian in here to be safe. _With another civilian_. Nino is in here and I don't know what to do!"

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"If I transform? My secret identity would be exposed! This is a _disaster_! I can't let him find ou-"

"Well, it's either that, or Ladybug does it by herself. Let's be honest, I'm all for the latter. I know I've said it before, but after what she's done - and no offense to your choice, kitten, you couldn't have known - she deserves it. She can learn why she needs a partner to balance things out."

"But-" I hesitate, staring down at my feet, "Well, transforming was just...I just...It's stupid but...It felt so good to be transformed again the other day, with the Bubbler incident. I was scared, but...Dang it, Plagg, I understated how I felt before. It was absolutely exhilarating."

Plagg's eyes widen, but before he can respond, Nino interrupts in search of me. "Find anything, Marinette?"

The kwami of destruction flies back into my bag without any warning from me as I turn to face Nino. "No, no luck." I sigh, walking over to him. "And no luck on your door, I take it?"

He shakes his head. "Like I said, I guess we're stuck in here."

I'm internally screaming as we sit down against a tree. I should be out there, doing my thing. Even if Alya doesn't deserve it, I ought to be trying my hardest to make up for what I put everyone through. I failed as Ladybug, and Chat failed because of me, even if Plagg doesn't agree; as the new wielder of the Black Cat Miraculous, it's my duty to ensure that doesn't happen again.

But I can't do that stuck in here!

People are going to keep giving the old Chat Noir crap for disappearing if I don't enter the ring. Sure, he might get a tough rap that he doesn't deserve whenever I appear, but the longer it takes me, the more severe it will be. No matter how angry Plagg is at him, I'm sure Chat Noir doesn't deserve that.

So how do I get out of this conundrum? What am I supposed to do to sort this out?

"Mari? Are you okay?" I shriek when Nino's hand touches my shoulder, not expecting Nino to speak before realizing I've been tuning him out all along.

"Ah! Sorry!" I squeak out the apology, turning to look at his startled face.

As I do, I notice a little girl - probably the age of Manon, a girl I babysit, if not a little older - up in a tree, obviously separated from her mother. Below her, a tiger circles, evidently let loose by the latest akuma. Even if Ladybug can fix things after, I can't bare to watch what might happen to her if she slips. And boy, does it look like she's going to slip.

Nino has opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupt, my mouth formulating words before I even have a plan. "Nino, there's something I need to do. This is a secret; you can't tell a soul. I shouldn't even be telling you, but right now I have no choice. I need you to promise that you won't tell anyone - _anyone -_ ever. You just have to trust me, because this is the only way out of here and even if _we're_ safe in here other people aren't safe out there and I have to help."

"I...I don't understand." He admits, staring at me like I've gone crazy.

Maybe I have.

"I just need you to trust me, okay?" I plead, getting to my feet. Confused, Nino follows suit. "Do you promise not to tell another soul about what you're about to see? We need to do this fast, so I won't have time to answer your questions right now. But if you promise not to tell anyone, I promise that once this akuma is handled, I can explain as much as I understand. You're not going to believe it, but please, just trust me."

"I really don't understand what's happening, but I trust you, Mari. You have yet to do anything to tell me otherwise in all the years I've known you. So," He takes a deep breath before his eyes open and fasten on mine, "I trust you. I won't tell anyone about whatever it is you're talking about."

"Good."

Now for the terrifying part. Slowly, I open up my bag, and Plagg blinks up at me questioningly. I know that he's asking me if I'm sure about what I'm doing. He doesn't want to push me, and I appreciate that. He's letting me make my own decisions, stepping in only when necessary. We both messed up with our first pairing; maybe, all along, he and I were meant to meet?

Shaking away the introspective thoughts, I look back up to Nino. "Plagg," I begin, wondering if I imagine the briefest look of recognition that flashes across my date's face, "Claws out."

The flash of green life engulfs me as Plagg goes flying into my necklace, and for the second time I feel myself transforming. The thrill of it still hasn't diminished. When it ends, I stare at Nino, wandering just how he'll react. He won't scream, will he? One of my ears twitches as he stares at me and opens his mouth, preparing to speak.

This is it. The moment of truth.

* * *

 _Alya's Point of View_

* * *

The akuma is my father.

How messed up is that?

I hop across the rooftops, trying to figure out just how to catch up with a panther leading a pack of other animals after it. I could call for my lucky charm, but I'm not ready to rely on that yet. They're never much help anyways. I can purify the akuma without having to summon my lucky charm, no matter what Tikki says otherwise. After I catch it, _then_ I can summon my lucky charm so I can cast Miraculous Ladybug. But I know I can manage without it. I'll prove to Tikki, and to everyone, how much better I am than the first Ladybug.

The Ladybug who gave everything up.

Who Chat Noir still pined for as a partner.

The thought just fuels my bitterness, and I'm so distracted that I almost hurtle straight into someone. "Hey! Watch where you're-" I cut myself off, suddenly realizing that I'm still on the rooftops.

 _Who the heck is up here with me?_

The answer is a surprise, to say the least. For a moment, all I see is a figure dressed in black, and I believe it's Noir, here to crawl back cowering as he apologizes for leaving me in the lurch. But then I remember what Tikki said. Chat Noir gave up his Miraculous. Whoever has it now, it's not him. Though they at least aren't using it for evil - _yet_ \- because they helped at the Bubbler fight.

So I take a closer look. At first glance, their outfit looks relatively the same as the first Black Cat hero's, but I notice slight differences as I look her over.

Yes. _Her_.

There's a short, black skirt around her waist. I suppose it doesn't matter if it's so short, seeing as her legs are covered. It seems that it's there more for stylistic reasons than anything else, though I personally believe it'll only serve to be inconvenient. Her bell is silver, not gold like Noir's, and she's wearing a necklace, which has a black chain and circle on it. Within the circle, there's a blue pawprint. That must be her Miraculous; Chat Noir's was his ring, and that had a similar marking, though his was green. Tikki didn't tell me that the Miraculous could shift forms once they're passed on. Why didn't mine?

Her face is the most different. Unlike Noir, her eyes are bright blue, though they still look akin to a cat's. One of her ears twitches as she stares at me, as if she's silently daring me to speak up. She also has blue hair and ponytails, not too unlike the first Ladybug's.

"Who are you?" I finally decide to go with a blunt approach to the introductions.

"Your new partner." She extends a hand, but I abstain from shaking it, opting instead to turn away so I can look for where my akumzatized father has gone. I'm doing this without some random newbie's help. I'll show Tikki just what I'm capable of. "Hey, aren't you even going to ask my name? What's the plan?"

"The plan is for you to stay out of sight and out of mind. A newbie is just going to get in my way. I currently could care less about who you are. We can talk about this at a time that's more convenient for me."

"I'm not-" I glance back as the girl cuts herself off, avoiding my gaze. "Look, I've watched you guys for a while, and I've done some practice in secret. My kwami has been coaching me." She's been training? She could've been seen! Does this girl have no regard for safety? "I'm just saying that I could help you-"

I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to yell at this idiot. "Stop acting like my partner, newbie. You haven't even solidified yourself as my sidekick yet. So shut up or your probation ends now, and not the way you'd like. I'll pick my own partner if I have to."

That seems to have finally gotten the message through her thick skull, because she shuts up after that. Letting out a sigh of relief, I go back to scoping out where the akuma might be. After another minute of examination, I spot a cloud of smoke coming up from a building. _Ha! That must be where they've gone._

But then I see something _else_ odd approaching that scene. A suspiciously human-shaped black creature leaping across the rooftops towards the scene. Angry dread fills my stomach as I spin back around, only to be greeted with the sight of...nothing. The new Black Cat Miraculous holder is gone!

"The idiot! What does she think she's doing?" I curse under my breathe, tightening my hold on my yoyo as I toss it forward to follow her. "That's the opposite of what I told her to do!"

* * *

 _Master Fu's Point of View_

* * *

"She's active, Master," Wayzz points out from his spot on my shoulder as we both watch the TV. Nadia Chamack looks as shocked as I'm sure the rest of Paris feels about the sudden appearance of a new Black Cat hero, "but there's no sign of Ladybug."

"I understand that Plagg is most likely bitter, but I worry about what thoughts he might have filled young Marinette's head with." I sigh, sinking down in my chair. "She wasn't to know her pick would make a bad Ladybug - she's young and inexperienced - but I had hoped that they would get along in the meantime seeing as Marinette had picked her. I worry though that Plagg has gotten too entrenched in his anger to allow that."

"There is definitely a deep-seated rage within him."

Rubbing my forehead, I glance at the Miraculous Box. "And you definitely felt a different ripple in magic previously?"

Wayzz flies off my shoulder to float in front of me, nodding his head. "Yes. I think it is very likely that, for one reason or another, Marinette exposed her true identity to someone."

"This is chaos. Absolute chaos. And you're certain?"

"As certain as I am that Adrien Agreste chose to tell someone the secret identity that he carried up until a few days ago."

"How did I manage to let things go so horribly wrong? Wayzz, I have failed as the Guardian of the Miraculous." I drop my face into my hands.

"That's not true, Master! This is not your fault." How is he even capable of arguing that at this point? I'd already lost the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous. Now the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous had fallen into the hands of the wrong holders. How was I even supposed to go about rectifying that situation except for finding a new Guardian more fit for the job? "It is the kwamis in question who have pushed it to this point, though I still feel it is more so Tikki than Plagg. Plagg even feels a bit justified in this situation if yo-"

I shake my head, standing up and shutting off the TV. "No, we cannot talk of rights and wrongs now. Tikki has certainly messed up, but Plagg should know better than this. Though it is very within his nature. I should've predicted that his bitterness would run much deeper than the Ladybug's for being given up."

Wayzz once again flies in front of me, looking panicked. "You don't really think that he do that, do you?"

"It is hard for me to picture Plagg reigning it in and not yielding some control if our current Ladybug proved once again to be cruel to his Chosen. He's lost one of his kittens already; he will fight tooth and claw to make sure he doesn't lose another. I'm truly worried for what that means for Marinette. Wayzz, I know she isn't meant to handle the effect that the Black Cat Miraculous could have on her. She could be strong-willed, but as of right now she is nervous, and I am afraid of what sort of power that might grant Plagg. I don't even know if Plagg realizes just how much destruction he could do. Marinette needs someone to guide her growth into confidence, and Plagg will not take her in the right direction. Especially if it's a bitter Plagg."

My kwami nods, shutting his eyes and furrowing his brows. "I know, I know, and I agree, but I'm not sure where to even begin in fixing things now. How are we supposed to help them?"

I grab my cane, heading towards the front door. "I don't know any way, at least not any way that you will agree with."

I can already here the disagreement in Wayzz's voice as he realizes what I'm referring to. "Master-"

Not willing to have this conversation again right now, I cut him off and grab the doorknob. "Let's go now and see if we can get out there and get a better look. Just watching on a TV won't allow us to get a good sense of the things going on there. Cameras can only capture so much, after all. Perhaps their dynamic only looks unfavorable due to the presentation of the material Nadia has."

Wayzz nestles himself in the collar of my Hawiian shirt as I make my way out the door, heading in the direction that I presume Animan - as the akuma has christened himself - is in due to all the smoke. The sight of Ladybug swinging by overhead also encourages my initial presumption about the direction. She looks quite displeased, only adding to my unease about the situation. If things continue like this, the scales won't just be imbalanced; they'll be destroyed completely.

* * *

 _Miss Fortune's Point of View_

* * *

"What came over me just then?" I murmur to myself as I land on a rooftop, finally in full control of myself again.

One moment I was standing with Ladybug-Alya, trying to convince her to let me help her as her sidekick, and the next I found myself flying across the rooftops, quickly approaching the smoke billowing from a building I can only presume Animan attacked. I had tried to turn back around, but it was as if I wasn't in control of my own body. No matter what I tried, my body kept throwing itself forward, till now I was only a building away from the one in shambles.

I had never experienced something like that when I was Ladybug. Granted, I wasn't Ladybug for that long, but the point still remained. Had that ever come over Chat Noir? Had Ladybug-Alya ever dealt with that?

I have a feeling I know the answer, which only makes me more nervous for what reaction she'll have once she finally catches up with me.

Only a few moments later, I get to see it for myself as Alya lands beside me. "What the heck do you think you're doing?"

There's no right answer. If I tell the truth and say I wasn't in control of myself just then, she's never going to let me anywhere near the scene. And that's if she even believes me. On the other hand, if I lie and say I was taking matters into my own hand, she's obviously going to freak out. Then I'd be directly disobeying her orders. Was this really what Chat had been going through all the time?

In the end, I go with a, "Look, I'm here now in the midst of things. I just want to help you, even if it's as a meat shield. I promise, I won't let my Miraculous get taken."

She huffs, staring down at the street. "We'll discuss your inappropriate behavior and stupid, reckless decisions later. It looks like Animan is the next street over. Are you capable of distracting him?"

"One _fur_ st class distraction, coming up." I can do distraction. That's a much better responsibility, even if it's Ladybug's idea of a sidekick's job.

As I extend my baton to the ground and get down to the ground, I hear Ladybug sigh behind me. Does she really dislike the cat puns? Why? Shaking those distractions from my mind, I turn the corner and come face to face with the akuma.

A giant bear. What the heck? That's a new one.

"Hey, ugly!" I shout, causing it to turn around.

It stares for a moment before dropping to all fours, and then right before my eyes shifts into a black panther.

"You're a shapeshifting akuma?" How is that a fair fight?

The purple outline of a butterfly appears over his face for a moment, and then Animan speaks. "I am Animan, here for Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous while I prove the strength of the animals people cruelly mock when they're safe behind zoo glass. Who are you?"

I force myself to give the cheekiest grin I can, trying to channel my inner Chat Noir as I lean against my baton. "I'm so glad you asked! I'm Miss Fortune, the new wielder of the Black Cat Miraculous."

"But you don't have a ring." Is he really incredulous over that?

"How observant! I thought you looked like a smarter one." I'm having to summon up all my bravado for this. I didn't realize how terrified I was to actually begin doing this again till now, when I have a chance to process it. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"What?" He growls out the word. Ah, yes, my snarky comments probably didn't go over so well with him. Or that could just be how his voice sounds right now. He _is_ a black panther currently.

"What exactly upset you so much?"

A good old-fashioned monologue from a villain. Get them talking and they'll distract themselves. That's the classic trick, right? Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Ladybug on the rooftop up above. She's looking down at Animan, thankfully ignoring the other animals he broke out that are wreaking havoc. Once she uses her Miraculous cure - because she's responsible and remembers to capture the akuma and cast her cure - the animals will return to the zoo and any of the damage they cause will be rectified. We just need to focus on figuring out what the akumatized object is.

But, why hasn't she used her Lucky Charm yet? What is she doing?

"Kim Le-Chien. One of my daughter's classmates. He is the epitome of every zoo attendee that I hate!" I blink as my attention is brought back to the villain at hand, especially once I realize that's all he's going to give me.

"Kim Le-Chien?" I echo, realizing I need to stall for more time. "You don't say..." How can I subtly try to get Ladybug to bring her Lucky Charm out while also still stalling for time like she wanted? "That's very convenient, because I also have a score to settle with Kim Le-Chien. He, uh, cheated in a race the two of us were having."

The butterfly appears before Animan's eyes again. "After I seek my revenge, Hawkmoth." Then he shakes his head, clearing the butterfly away before baring his teeth in what I think is meant to be a grin. "So you understand my frustrations with at least him in particular."

"Yes. I guess today is your _lucky_ day. Since you've proven to be so _charming_ , how about I make a deal with you?" I glance once more up to Ladybug, who now appears to be scowling at me. Is she purposefully avoiding using her Lucky Charm? Well, she must have a plan. She's the experienced one here, the one who knows how to handle that. I'm just the sidekick, serving as the distraction. "Let me help you find Mr. Kim Le-Chien. We can both seek our revenge."

 _Gosh dang it, Marinette,_ that's _the distraction you decided upon?_ I resist the urge to slap myself in the face. _How are you going to go about fixing this one? Just starting fighting him!_

Thankfully, I'm saved from any further humiliation by Hawkmoth of all people, who seems to cause Animan to convulse in something akin to a seizure. After a moment and a pained promise to fulfill his side of the bargain, the akuma gets back to his feet and glares at me.

"As tempting as that sounds, Hawkmoth orders otherwise."

"And just when I thought we were getting along. How _paw_ sitively disappointing." I can't let _him_ know I'm relieved by this turn of events as I try my best to mimic a fighting stance, baton in hand. "Well, what are you waiting for, slowpoke?"

"I'll show you _and_ that boy that panthers are anything _but_ slow!" He snarls the words before leaping at me, and I realize too late the mistake I made with that jab in particular as I lunge out of the way.

I manage a somewhat graceful roll before jumping back to my feet, spinning around just in time to dodge another attack. _Anytime now, Laybug!_

* * *

 **This is another shorter chapter, I know. However, I'd like to update this story more consistently, and in order to accomplish that, I need to do some shorter chapters. Hopefully you guys enjoyed it! Was it good? Bad? We got our first look at Miss Fortune! What did you think of Marinette's look as the Black Cat wielder? What do you think that conversation with Wayzz and Master Fu was? How do you feel about how Alya's taking things? What do you think Nino's going to do now that he knows about Marinette? Let me know any predictions and thoughts in a review!**

 **Thanks for reading! I'm excited to continue. c;**

 **~ Dagger**


End file.
